Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch
by butterfly collective
Summary: A completely separate story about how Matt sells his ranch, C.J. buys it and what happens when the past draws you back in ways not expected. Not my show just borrowing it for a while.
1. Chapter 1

Oops here's another story because the world of FF doesn't seem right until I've got too many stories to keep track of and update in a timely fashion. This one's its own independent storyline and is inspired by watching Season 1 on DVD, which was my favorite season. With some of the best episodes on it and best of all, Novelli.

This takes place sometime after the end of the third season which I didn't really like as much (except for several episodes) and features that ranch which Matt apparently forgot he owned after the first season and his attempts to regain his roots with the help of one good woman.

Hope you enjoy it!

* * *

C.J. rode the buckskin mare down the old cattle trail through the patch of dogwood trees that sprouted up from the ground every so often to provide some shade in the pasture. She stopped at the end of the trail and put her hand above her eyes as she looked in each direction. She smiled in satisfaction at the band of mares and foals that nibbled on the grass without a care in the world. The valley had been lit up with rumors of coyotes running loose but she had yet to see or even hear one.

What she heard now was the whirl of chopper blades approaching her and she looked up and saw the familiar sight of a helicopter swooping down over a nearby ridge and blowing up the branches in the trees as it approached.

She sighed inwardly knowing who piloted the copter and why he had arrived. Her best friend Matt had just found out who had purchased the ranch he had put on the real estate market just six months earlier. She nudged her horse with the squeeze of her legs and continued down the trail. She watched as the helicopter approached and finally landed in the middle of the pasture, blowing up some dirt as it settled on the ground with the rotary blades slowing to a stop. The door opened and out stepped a tall, man with a muscular build dressed in a business suit and tugging at his tie, while he carried a brief case in his other hand. She didn't get off of her horse but folded her arms as he approached, while her horse danced beneath her.

"Easy Chelsea," she whispered as she patted the mare's neck, "It's just Houston. He looks like he just stepped out of a business meeting in that god awful suit of his bought off the rack at Neiman Marcus."

The mare settled down as the man approached quickly, reaching the worn fencing and then deftly hopping over it. C.J. raised her brows when he approached her.

"Haven't seen you in a while," she said.

"You haven't been at the office," he said, "Murray told me you extended your sabbatical."

She nodded, pushing back the wavy mahogany curls out of her face absently while she studied the man in front of her. He looked ill at ease in his suit and tie and yet, she had to say he filled both out well. Most women would agree and most women who had crossed paths with him had done that, engaging more in a game of show than tell.

"Yes I did," she said, "I've got more work to do on the ranch."

He looked around at the acreage that surrounded them.

"Why didn't you tell me you bought it?"

She snorted.

"I did tell you," she said, "You just didn't listen. You were busy working with your new partner and hanging around what's her name."

He glared.

"Business has been piling up so much, I haven't had much time to spend with what's her name."

"You've got Zack to help you now," she said, her arms still folded, "which should leave you plenty of time for a social life and you can work your way through the rest of the female population of L.A."

He ignored her dig and just stared at her sitting on her horse as if she belonged there.

"C.J., you bought my ranch."

She looked at him nonplussed.

"You put it on the market," she said, "and I didn't want it to be picked up by someone else. Some developer had just offered five times what it's worth to build something on top of it but I beat him out under the dime."

Matt had known that because his realtor had told him about the offer which had just come out of the blue that had nearly dropped him in his tracks but he had already inadvertently accepted C.J.'s offer based entirely on gut instinct. He scratched his head.

"So this is where you've been all this time?"

She nodded.

"I fixed up the house, which needed a new roof and some new flooring on the atrium and that barn out back."

"Who's helping you," he asked.

"Bo and Lamar drove in all the way from lower Texas to help out," she said, "It's been like old times, well mostly."

Matt heard the wistful tone in her voice and knew he had hit a sensitive spot that she had kept hidden for a long time, he suspected. In the past few months, she had spent more time away from the office and away from him only he had been too busy to notice. She had sold her house and had said she wanted to get away from the frantic pace of L.A. Still, he had focused on rebuilding his relationship with his long-lost uncle and even longer lost cousin. C.J. had never begrudged him his desire to reconnect with what was left of his family tree but he hadn't seen her around as much either in recent months.

And she spoke the truth. He had been busy hanging out with some gorgeous ladies after his broken engagement to Elizabeth. But what else could he do, he had to prove he still had it as a man. But women weren't his first love…other things were more important. Like..

"How about my horses?"

She pointed back towards the pastures.

"They're out grazing now," she said, "I turned them out this morning and they couldn't be happier."

He watched them eating and couldn't find fault with that not having had much time in the past year for them either. Matt wondered if they would even recognize him especially gussied up like he was now. Still a question nagged at him and he had to ask it. But she beat him to the punch as she often did, having a mind that worked a tick quicker than his own.

"So why are you here," she asked.

"To find out what you're doing with my ranch," he said.

She just looked at him.

"Houston I bought it," she said, "but it doesn't mean you can't come out here anytime you'd like or keep your animals here. Even Rupert."

His mood brightened at the mention of his beloved bull frog which had retired after winning his one jumping competition and had shacked up with his beloved Hildegard. Both of them lived in splendor in a small pond just off of the lake as happy as amphibians could be.

"How's he doing anyway?"

C.J. chuckled.

"Overseeing his own kingdom of offspring," she said, "the world can't have too many frogs."

Matt had to agree with that. She looked at him and then she dismounted from Chelsea and held onto the mare's reins. Matt looked at the woman in front of him, dressed in faded jeans and an old sweatshirt that looked suspiciously like it had belonged to him.

"Houston, I didn't buy your ranch to hurt your feelings," she said, "I didn't want to see it go to anyone else if you weren't going to hold onto it."

He knew she meant what she said and a part of him had been relieved when he learned she was its new owner but he wished she had just told him. But she really hadn't been telling him much lately and truth be told he had no idea what she thought about in her head these days.

"Would you like to come to the house and get something to drink," she offered.

He looked at his watch.

"I have to head back," he said, "but oh wait, I did have some paperwork for you to sign on that new merger."

She took the folder with the contract enclosed and asked him for a pen which he handed to her.

"You could have gotten Murray to sign it," she said.

He knew that was true but he had wanted to see her. He hadn't seen enough of her lately since she had taken her leave from the agency and had obviously moved out to the ranch. Zack, his new partner had picked up the slack fairly quickly but even though the two men had been life-long buddies stemming from high school, he missed working with C.J. He wondered if she knew that.

"How are things going with you," he asked.

She smiled at him.

"I'm happy Houston," she said, "I love working on the ranch with the guys and there's a nice town nearby with nice people. I'm exactly where I want to be."

She didn't add that some of them had even asked her to do some legal work for them and that she had a stack of client folders already in her office in the ranch house. And how she had enjoyed spending the evenings on her porch watching the moon light up the sky amid a carpet of stars extending all the way to the horizon. She didn't miss the city at all. Okay, she missed her favorite nightclub on the Sunset strip but the rest of it…not as much.

"I'd better head back to the office," he said, "Thanks for signing this for me."

She shrugged and got back on her horse, thinking about how much she missed seeing him in his favorite pair of jeans and on the back of a horse. But he had chosen what he wanted in his life and it clearly was to play the urban jetsetter.

"I'd better get back to work," she said.

She waited until he got back on his helicopter and took off heading back to L.A. and the world she had left behind at least for a little while.

* * *

Matt sat at his desk as Zack came in and dropped a stack of papers.

"More cases," Matt asked.

"Picked up a half dozen this week," Zack said, "It's going to be tough to schedule time for them all."

Roy poked his head in.

"There's a long line of employees waiting for signatures on a bunch of paperwork," he said.

Matt sighed, knowing he had lost the element of surprise which would allow him to make a quick getaway from his office assistants. It might be another hour before he could leave the office and head off to a dinner meeting with a new client that Zack had set up.

"C.J. bought the ranch," Matt said.

Zack looked up at him from some papers he was reading.

"Oh, so that's where she's been…"

Matt nodded.

"She's already put a great deal of work into it," he said, "The work I never got around to doing."

"You've been very busy with your business," Zack said, "It's only natural to stick to doing the most important things when your time's limited."

Matt frowned from his desk.

"I missed the ranch," he said, "I was actually sorry that it sold until I found out who bought it."

Zack signed a couple of forms and put them on Matt's desk.

"She needed an outlet," he said, "She was feeling restless here."

Matt hadn't been sure that was it, the reason why she had taken her sabbatical. Not that she had really given him a reason. He had just assumed she needed a break after years spent working hard and wanted to focus her energies elsewhere. He knew the feeling himself, having wanted to take off at a moment's notice himself. But he had his burgeoning caseload to consider before he could take any vacations, not that he wasn't tempted to just take off for a while at least once a day. Then there was his company which was in the capable hands of Murray and his fast talking brother Myron but…

"I guess she needed a change," Matt admitted, "Hopefully she'll finish up with the ranch and return to work soon."

After coming to her senses, he added to himself.

Even as he said that, Matt didn't feel so sure. After all, she hadn't been the same in the past couple of months and she looked so much happier up on her horse looking at the world than she did wearing a three-piece suit inside his office. Still, she loved practicing law and surely that would draw her back soon enough. But then she could still be smarting from her breakup with Randy, an attorney with a firm in the skyscraper across the street. She hadn't talked much about it, just said that it had ended and that it had been for the best. Even when he offered to take her out for dinner as a friend so she could talk about it, she had shook her head and closed the topic off from further discussion just like that. Just like she did on so many subjects these days. He wondered when she had started pushing him out of her life but couldn't remember when it had all started.


	2. Chapter 2

Part 2---Got another chapter of this newest FF story done. Hope you enjoy it and thanks for reading and the feedback.

* * *

C.J. sighed as she sat in the hot tub near the swimming pool at the end of another long day that she had spent working hard to repair some of that damn fencing that had fallen apart when the ranch had been left untended for so long. Her hands were tender from pulling splinters out of them that had slipped past her gloves and she felt muscle aches in her shoulders from holding onto the pieces of wood. She really could have used some help repairing the fencing but Bo and Lamar were busy cleaning out stalls along with a couple local teenagers who had been recruited to work on the ranch at least until it was back up and running again. They had been at-risk youth who had spent most of their lives floating from one foster home to the next but C.J. had known what that had been like given her own background after her parents had died when she had been a little girl. They had proven to be hard workers, anxious to make a good impression once she showed them that she didn't look at them and see anything more than undeveloped potential. Bo and Lamar kept them pretty much in line and entertained them during lemonade and lunch breaks with stories about their own life experiences in ranching and other ventures.

If Matt truly believed she hadn't been serious about restoring this piece of their lives, then he obviously didn't know her as well as he thought. She wondered sometimes if he knew her at all. But then her last argument with Randy her latest boyfriend had her wondering if she even knew herself that well. He had accused her of an impossible thing, of not being interested in him but being in love with well…Matt. She had denied it of course because after all, it just wasn't true. Thank god for that, because if it had been, all she would wind up with was a broken heart delivered to her courtesy of her best friend in the world and she didn't want that at all. And she had her heart broken enough times, enough so for her to take a break from that part of her life and focus on herself and what made her happy which was helping others.

Her ringing cell phone interrupted her argument with herself about her feelings for Matt. She reached around to pick it up, nearly knocking her wine glass over.

"Hello," she said, "This is C.J."

She had checked out the Caller ID on her phone but didn't recognize it.

"Hello, are you the lawyer who just moved in the area," a woman's voice said.

"Well I haven't exactly moved here," C.J. said, "but I'm fixing up the ranch I just bought."

"I..need your help," the woman said, "I was told that you were helping Grady and his family."

Ah yes, C.J. thought, the rancher who was in danger of losing his spread to the bank, the same institution that held the mortgages of most of the ranches in the area. Now her own ranch had been brought with cash, so the bank didn't include her ranch in its collection of properties. But she knew most of the other ranchers didn't have that luxury and times had become tough for most of them.

"Yes I've been giving him some legal guidelines," she said, "but I haven't been hired or put on retainer."

The woman sounded relieved.

"Oh thank god," she said, "You have to help me. I just got a letter saying I've got 30 days to pay off the late balance on my mortgage or I lose my land."

"They can't do that," C.J. said, "if it's only been a month."

The woman's voice grew silent.

"How long have you been overdue," C.J. asked her.

"Nearly three," the woman said, "but one of my children got kicked by a horse and even with insurance…"

C.J. sighed.

"I know how expensive medical bills can be."

And she did having been shot three times while working with Matt's investigative agency. Thank god, the work came with hefty insurance coverage for job-related injuries or she'd be heading to the poorhouse soon enough too.

"Can you help me," the woman asked.

C.J. hedged.

"It's going to be difficult if you can't make at least partial payment," she said, "the lending institution after all holds most of the cards."

"Oh thank you, thank you," the woman said.

C.J. shrugged, guessing she had another client. She had spent some time clerking for a property rights legal firm while in Texas and what she remembered about the stint, would make a great book. Never a dull moment in that job with her having been in the middle of a few armed standoffs between both sides of several property battles. Matt hadn't been happy while she had worked for that firm and had thrown a party for her when she finally quit. Actually he threw parties for her when she quit most of her jobs until she began working with him to build his business empire.

She hung up after promising to come over to the woman's house and review the paperwork from the bank and then closed her eyes, relaxing underneath the bubbling warm water and looking up at the stars above her, feeling that the best parts of her words were finally coming together.

* * *

Matt poured himself another glass of Scotch. It had been one of those nights when he had been out with Roy and his date to a film festival. He had brought a woman he had met at another party, Stella her name had been, with him. She had been enraptured about his profession as a private investigator and had begged him for stories of his most noteworthy and notorious cases.

"Tell her about how you broke up the diamond theft ring," Roy had prodded him as they sat in a fine restaurant after the last film ended.

Matt had just spent hours sitting in a darkened theater wondering when he would be watching a movie filled with horses and gunfights instead of films about one boring conversation after another with very little in the way of action in between. He had mentally rearranged the case files in his office and had redesigned the cabin on his sailboat during the hours they spent inside the movie theater. Stella had tried to cozy up to him and he had obliged by wrapping his arm around her shoulder but his mind had wandered. That concerned him because usually, throw a beautiful lady in the mix and that kept him occupied for quite a while.

"Cat got your tongue Matlock," his uncle said.

Matt shook his head.

"I'm just thinking that if the cook didn't slip the poison in the crème Brule, then it must have been the waiter…"

Roy just looked at him.

"You need to learn to put your work out of your mind sometimes," he said, "Your lady just slipped off to the powder room with mine and right now, she's asking my girlfriend for advice on how to attract and hold your interest."

Matt felt chagrined under his uncle's scrutiny.

"I'm sorry Uncle Roy," he said, "My mind's just elsewhere tonight. I still can't believe she did it."

Roy's eyes twinkled with what looked like amusement.

"'She' meaning C.J.," he said, "buying up your ranch right from under you?"

"Yeah well something like that."

Roy sighed, trying to be patient with his nephew.

"You put it on the market which left it open to be bought by any interested party," he chided, "I would think you would be overjoyed and relieved that someone who loved that ranch like C.J. would buy it."

"C.J. did buy the ranch," Matt reminded him.

"So she did boy," Roy said, "Then why are you complaining?"

"I'm not complaining," Matt grumbled, "I just think it's awfully sneaky for her to do it without telling me first."

"If she had told you, would you have even listened to her," Roy said, "You haven't done enough of that for a while so I don't blame her for leaving you in the cold with that news."

Matt had been taken aback by his uncle's words and the tone they had ridden in on and even hours and a few glasses of liquor later, they still irked him. She had pulled away from him, not the other way around and he hadn't liked it but he had been meaning to say something…before things got busy and his mind went elsewhere back on business…or the next case.

But damn it, did she really have to buy his ranch and move on back there without consulting him about it beforehand? They had always shared their plans with each other, asking each other for advice on how to proceed whether it was business or their personal lives. He thought that she had valued his input when he provided it but obviously he had been mistaken. Then he had flown out to the ranch in his helicopter and had found her wearing his shirt and on the back of one of his horses surveying the land around her as if it belonged to her…which it did now…but that was beside the point.

He drank from his glass until he had emptied it and then found himself nodding off, hoping that sleep would deliver the answers to him that he felt he needed and that C.J. would return home where she belonged having come to her senses.

* * *

C.J. woke up bright and early with a smile on her face and after showering, headed off to the kitchen to make some breakfast for her and her burgeoning staff of ranch hands. She knew she had to ride out and finish the fencing on the north pasture before she headed off to meet with her newest client. Bo and Lamar had already started breakfast and C.J. looked around at the broken egg shells everywhere mixed in with pancake batter and spilled orange juice.

"You only put three jalapeños in a Texas omelet not four," Lamar argued.

Bo shook his head stubbornly.

"It's four," he said, "That's what my mama told me."

Lamar laughed.

"I think you got your recipes mixed up," he said, "You put four peppers in the Texas Chili and we aren't making any."

Bo scratched his chin.

"Maybe we should make that instead."

"Land sakes Bo," Lamar said, "It's omelets for breakfast and chili for lunch. It's always been that way."

Bo nodded and then brightened.

"Okay then, I'll put the extra jalapeno in the pancakes. Give them a little extra kick."

C.J. just watched the two men go at it with a smile on her face and her hands on her hips.

"What's wrong guys?"

They both looked at her a little sheepishly.

"We're just making breakfast," Lamar started, "So you wouldn't have to do it."

"That's really nice of you two," C.J. said, surveying the kitchen, "but maybe I should take it from here?"

The two men looked at each other and nodded.

"You two can wash the dishes afterward," she said, "and I'll get my horse ready to take out to the pasture."

"You need any help out there," Lamar asked.

C.J. gave it some thought and then shook her head.

"I'll take one of our new hands with me," she said, "and pack up some lunch to go."

The men shrugged, happy enough with that as C.J. began her attempts to rescue breakfast, which after all was the most important meal of the day on a working ranch.

* * *

Matt woke up bright and early too, but with a killer of a hangover. He looked over at the empty bottle of Scotch from where he had crashed on the couch. His mouth felt like sandpaper and his eyes like they had a ton of grit inside them. He sat up and realized that three of his lady secretaries were looking down at him.

"Good morning ladies," he said, stretching his arms.

Suddenly a stack of papers from different hands appeared in front of him.

"I really need you to sign this," Chris said.

"The merger's going to go through today after you sign this paper," chimed in Pam who looked a lot like Chris.

"Wait, he's got to sign this first," a brunette woman with glasses insisted.

He looked at her puzzled.

"Which one are you," he asked.

She smiled sweetly.

"I'm Rebecca," she said, "Murray just picked me up at the bus station yesterday. I'm his sister."

Matt's eyes widened. He had no idea Murray had any siblings let alone this gorgeous woman as a sister. He stuck out his hand.

"Well nice to meet you Rebecca," he said, "Welcome to Houston Enterprises."

She beamed.

"I'm so looking forward to working for you," she said, "Murray told me all about you…except how handsome you look in that suit…"

Matt stroked his chin.

"He didn't tell me anything about you."

She shrugged.

"He's shy, my brother," she said, "Myron and I are more outgoing."

Matt smiled, trying to ignore his pounding headache.

"Murray's a bit quiet," he said, "but he can cut a rug every once in a while and he plays a mean piano."

Chris and Pam just looked at them, ready to toss their documents up in the air.

"Houston we really need you to sign this," they said in unison.

He shook his head at how his morning had started and signed the forms, hoping that would stave off the secretaries for the rest of the morning at least until his hangover had subsided.

Suddenly, he heard the elevator bell ring and wondered if that were his uncle arriving to work, then remembered that Roy had taken the day off to drive to Santa Barbara with his girlfriend. Matt felt a pang of envy at his uncle's ability to just let the work go for a while and have some fun. He remembered back when he had been able to do the same thing, just take off for the day or a week and relax for a while.

Zack came into sight just as Matt had lifted himself off of his couch and had decided to shower and change downstairs.

"Are you ready," Zack asked.

Matt raised his brows.

"Ready for what?"

Zack looked at him like he had lost his mind.

"That meeting with the new client I told you about," he said, "the one with the big expense account."

Matt sighed.

"I don't take clients based on how much money they have," he said, "I look at other factors."

Zach shook his head at his partner and friend.

"Then how are you ever going to expand your operation," he said, "Hire more investigators, more clerical support…"

"I have enough secretaries chasing me for papers to sign as it is," he said, "Besides, I like keeping my client base small so I can give each case more individual attention."

Zach chuckled.

"That's my friend, the idealist," he said, "but you have to focus more on the business side."

Matt set his jaw.

"It's not just a business to me," he said, "Besides I have more money than I'll ever need."

"But the client base…"

Matt held up his hand.

"This is what C.J. was talking about wasn't she," he said, "That I…we lost touch with why we were doing this line of work."

Zach shook his head again.

"Matt…C.J. is a sentimentalist," he said, "and we're realists. That's why we're here and she's off bustling around some ranch somewhere chasing horses."

"My ranch…"

"You sold it bud," Zach reminded him, "and she needed something to do with all that pent up energy of hers."

Matt looked at his friend, sensing the hostility in his voice tempered by his easy going nature.

"Yes I did," he said, "What is the matter with you?"

His friend looked at him oddly

"What are you talking about?"

Matt kept looking at him.

"What did C.J. possibly say to you that's got you more ticked off than a hunting dog caught in the Old Man's Swamp?"

Zack looked up at him, puzzled.

"The what?"

Matt looked puzzled at his statement as well. Damn he was slipping fast.


	3. Chapter 3

I've been busy and am updating this newer FF story. I hope you like it and thanks for reading and for the feedback!

* * *

C.J. and Lulu rode off to repair some fencing after she had given the teenaged girl one of Matt's older geldings to ride, to build up her confidence in her riding skills. The palomino just nudged the leg of the girl on his back and then waited for the two of them to get going. C.J. kept a close eye on her charge, to make sure that she could handle riding but she needn't have worried. The young girl with the purple stripe through her dark blond hair turned out to be a natural in the saddle and she seemed to enjoy herself behind her nonchalance.

When they arrived at the fencing that needed to be rebuilt, C.J. instructed her on how to assist her by lifting up the newer planks of wood so that C.J. could attach them to the fence firmly with some well placed nails.

Lulu looked at the process doubtfully.

"You really think I can do this?"

C.J .smiled at the girl's skepticism.

"I know you can," she said, "and I really need your help."

"Why didn't you ask Dylan," Lulu said, "He's a guy and he's much stronger."

C.J. shrugged.

"It's not all about strength," she said, "It's mostly about teamwork and I look at you and see a lot of potential there."

Lulu smiled despite herself.

"Okay, I'll give it a try."

And give it a try she did and she proved to be a diligent worker to boot. C.J. knew she shouldn't be surprised. Before the girl had lost her mother in a car accident, she had helped her raise her three siblings and after her mother had died, she had left school to take over her mother's role so protective services wouldn't separate them. Not that it had worked well for long, but a compromise had been met with all four of the kids going into foster care but within the same family. C.J. didn't detect any signs of unhappiness in Lulu but having spent a year in the system herself, she knew that you quickly learned to hide your feelings from everyone around you. Not as easy to get hurt that way so she kept an extra close watch on the young girl.

They broke for lunch and C.J. handed the girl a bag of food prepared by Bo and Lamar before they had left. C.J. had inspected the lunch before packing them in the saddlebag to make sure that it would prove to be edible but as it turned out, the two ranch hands had made delicious sandwiches, adding pieces of fruit and some of the slightly burned cookies she had baked the previous day to complete the meal.

They sat sprawled on the grass that was dappled by the sunlight which shone through the trees, listening to the water flowing through the rocks of the brook nearby.

"Do you have a boyfriend," Lulu asked.

C.J. looked up at the girl, startled by her question.

"Do I…have a boyfriend," she repeated.

"Well do you," Lulu pressed.

C.J. thought about it.

"Well no, not right now."

Lulu looked surprised by her answer.

"Why not," she said, "Being beautiful and all, I would think you'd have tons of boyfriends."

C.J. pondered that too, wanting to tell her charge that life and relationships were more complicated than just attraction and looks, but she had caught a tone of wistful envy in the younger girl's voice. So she chose her words carefully where she could find them.

"Well..I've had plenty of boyfriends but right now I'm spending time on myself."

The girl scoffed.

"How boring."

C.J. smiled as she swallowed her sandwich.

"Not really. There's more to life than the opposite sex."

Lulu appeared to reject that quickly.

"I don't want more in life," she said, "I just want guys to like me."

C.J. saw her younger self in Lulu and remembered what it had been like when she had been growing up and had taken a while to grow into her looks. She had been labeled the class nerd all through high school because she spent almost all of her free time studying at the library. She had gone to several parties just to see what the fuss was about but hadn't had much fun, much preferring a night with a good book or spending time on her ranch with her horses and dogs. Until she met up with the hot guy driving a Corvette but Lulu didn't need to know about that.

"You've got plenty of time for that Lulu," she said, "But what else do you want to do with your life?"

Lulu shrugged.

"I want to go to my senior prom," she said, "It's two years away but I figure I'd better get started in working on it."

"I missed my prom," C.J. said out loud, "and I survived just fine."

"Why, what happened?"

C.J. hadn't realized she had spoken loud enough for the girl to hear.

"I had the debate team finals the next morning," she said, "I had to get a good night's sleep."

Lulu rolled her eyes at her.

"Prom night's the most important night of the year," she insisted, "You eat some food, you dance, you get a room at the hotel and have sex…"

"You what?!"

Lulu just looked at her.

"What planet are you from anyway," she said, "Everyone knows that's what proms are for. We girls pay for the dress. The guys pay for the room and everyone does it on prom night."

C.J. frowned at Lulu's words.

"No not everyone does it," she said, "I didn't."

Lulu folded her arms.

"Because you were a nerd, remember?"

C.J. felt her cheeks flush, not feeling comfortable with this girl's too cynical for her age statements and her probing questions into her personal life. She had no idea how to sidestep this minefield she had just wandered into or how to proceed next. Obviously Lulu needed some guidance but she wasn't the girl's mother. But then again, Lulu's mother was gone and C.J. knew what that felt like, to grow up without one.

"Lulu, you're still way too young to be thinking about issues as complicated as these," C.J. said, "Maybe when you're older."

The moment she said that, she knew she had stepped right onto a mine.

"I'm not a little girl," Lulu insisted, "and I've already kissed guys and let Lucas feel me up behind the gym at school and…"

C.J. put her hand over her face, not knowing what to do or say next. What had she been thinking hiring Lulu on as a ranch hand and being dragged into the complexities of dealing with teenagers and their hormones?

"And I've been thinking about getting on the pill," Lulu continued, "does it really keep your skin from breaking out because like that would be cool…"

The afternoon had just gotten longer. C.J. wondered how Bo and Lamar were handling Dylan.

* * *

Zack had never really answered his question about C.J. and that really annoyed Matt. He hadn't been imagining it when he detected hostility in his partner's voice when her name came up in the conversation. He tried to think back to how the two had interacted when their paths had crossed which hadn't been often lately because C.J. had switched her focus not long after he had returned into their lives.

Now she had taken off and gone up fixing up his ranch without giving any time table for when she would be returning.

"Lighten up buddy," Zack said, "Don't let her tie you up in knots over some decision she's made."

They were sitting in a booth at what was once Mama Novelli's restaurant before she had sold it when her son, Vince Novelli, had retired and had moved his family to Hawaii. Matt still received postcards from them every once in a while and they appeared to be very happy in their new life in paradise. The new owner of the place had turned it into a sushi bar and normally Matt gave those establishments a wide berth except when he had to conduct meetings with prospective clients. Like the new client that Zack had wanted him to meet.

"I really miss Mama's restaurant," he lamented, eying his sushi suspiciously.

"This is one of the most happening eateries in this part of L.A.," Zack said, keeping an eye out for their new client.

Matt sipped his sake which didn't taste all that bad.

"Give me a steak off the barbecue anytime," he said, "and an order of roasted potatoes with fresh chilies."

"Matt, you don't like your California rolls?"

Matt poked at one of them.

"Is that what they are," he asked.

Suddenly, a woman approached, a fetching blond wearing a blue dress accentuated by a fur trimmed top. Matt did a double take.

"Is this our client?"

Zack frowned.

"I thought I talked to a guy on the phone."

The woman stuck out her hand and Matt shook it.

"I'm Gloria Stanton," she purred, "My boss Stanley spoke to you on the phone."

Zack nodded.

"He's the owner of that new software company, right?"

She nodded and sat down on the booth across from Matt. The waiter came with more sake and took the woman's order.

"Where's Stanley," Matt asked.

The woman shrugged.

"He's out arguing with the valet about not scratching the Porsche."

Matt looked at Gloria, thinking her a gorgeous woman and she shot him a wink right back. He sipped his sake and then looked up as finally Stanley, a short, stout man with balding hair arrived and quickly sat down next to Matt. He looked harried so Matt and Zack both decided to allow him to settle down before asking questions about his case. Matt noticed that Stanley hit the sake pretty hard.

"So why do you want to hire us," Matt asked.

Stanley looked around the room.

"Are you sure this place is safe and secured?"

"Well I guess you're going to have to ask the management that question," Matt said, "I don't come here all that much."

Zack nodded.

"You're perfectly safe here," he said, "so you can be completely straight with us about what you need."

Matt listened while Stanley started slowly telling them about his plight before picking up steam at the part which sounded to Matt like the typical tale of corporate espionage which must be a huge problem in such a fast-evolving sensitive field as computer software design. Okay, he could smell a case coming that might be interesting to pursue further.

When Stanley got to the part about suspecting a mole leaking information from the inside, Matt swore he could feel a bare foot brush against his calf. He looked across at Gloria who shot him a smile after tilting her face slightly. He pulled at his tie, suddenly feeling warm and took another sip of his sake.

"Delicious isn't it," she interrupted.

"What," Matt asked.

"The sake," she said, winking at him.

Damn, now he knew the beautiful assistant of Stanley was definitely hitting on him, but was she really interested in him or more interested in keeping him from suspecting her of any involvement in the espionage surrounding her boss? Matt considered himself a red blooded man but in his line of work, he had been played so many times by women from jewel thieves to secret agents to high-profiled socialites that it paid to be careful every time a woman threw herself at him. For a while, he hadn't cared much as long as he had a good time and didn't get killed in the process but lately…, maybe he was just losing his touch. Maybe he still carried a torch for his last fiancée Elizabeth…maybe he shouldn't think about it so much.

"What do you think Matt," Zack asked.

Matt looked up suddenly.

"About what?"

"About whether or not we should take this case," Zack said, probably not for the first time.

Matt straightened his tie again and saw three pairs of eyes watching him.

"I think we need to discuss this more," he said, "back at the office."

"But Matt…"

"Later," Matt repeated, "I just remember I have some papers that I need C.J. to sign."

And with that, he got out of his seat and left the sushi restaurant.

* * *

C.J. had been so flabbergasted by the line of questioning from Lulu about relationships and sex that it almost knocked her out for the rest of the afternoon. She had extricated herself out of the discussion when it turned to contraception but not easily. Lulu had continued to look at her as if she were from Mars but had remained quietly focused on her work repairing fences for a couple more hours until they headed back to the ranch so that C.J. could change outfits and change gears and head off to meet with her new client. She showered the ranch dust off of her body and changed into her dress jeans and a checkered blouse, covered by a denim jacket which she had bought just after she signed the deed papers on the ranch.

She was heading to her car with her briefcase when she heard the familiar sound of the helicopter chopper blades and didn't need to look skyward to see who was arriving. Matt settled the helicopter on its old helipad near the house and stepped out of it, wearing a pair of jeans and long sleeved shirt instead of his business attire. She had to look at him twice to make sure and also because he looked so damn handsome in his more casual getup. The way the denim molded to his body…she fanned herself with her folder.

Matt approached and noticed that she appeared dressed to go out. He wondered what she was really up to, after all, right now she looked an awful lot like an attorney. A beautiful one to be sure but he thought she had taken a breather from her legal pursuits. At least that's the impression she had given him when she had just taken off. Why didn't she break out into that beautiful smile of hers when she saw him approaching?

"Why are you here," she said, folding her arms as he approached.

"Nice to see you too C.J.," Matt said, "I've just got some papers I need you to sign."

"What about Murray," she asked.

"These need your John Hancock," he insisted, handing them to her along with a pen.

She dutifully read through them and then signed the bottom sheet, before handing them back.

"There you go," she said, "Now I've got to run…"

"Where are you going," he asked, "you look more dressed up than the other day I saw you."

"Houston, I was splitting fence the other day," she said, "Today I have an appointment."

"You've got a client," he said, "I thought you gave all that up."

She shook her head at him.

"I'm taking a break from working in your office," she said, "not from legal work. It has a way of finding you when you're not looking."

Matt knew the feeling as he had noticed the same thing with his investigative work but if she hadn't gotten away from the demands of the legal profession, was it him she had left?

"So you've been busy," he noted casually.

She walked to her car.

"In a manner of speaking," she said, "It's just a couple of real estate cases. Some of the ranchers are having problems with the bank."

"You mean their mortgages?"

She nodded.

"You mind if I join you," he said, looking back at his copter, "I think the bird's overheated and needs to sit a spell."

She tilted her head.

"Houston that's the lamest statement I've heard," she said, "That helicopter has never overheated unless it's been shot at."

Matt watched C.J. standing there in front of him arguing the helicopter, pushing her hair back off of her face in that way she had of not paying attention to it. When she began gesturing with her hands to get her point across, he felt at home. So he just stood there and watched her in action.

"What are you looking at," she asked, "Never mind, I've got to go."

"I really don't know about the bird…"

She shook her head at him.

"Just get in the car then."

She started the engine and then drove off down the familiar windy road that Matt had driven over so many times back when he lived on the ranch.

"I really miss this open country," he said.

She looked over at him.

"So did I," she said, "I wanted to come back to it."

"So I see," he said, "So who are these folks that you are helping?"

"One of them is David, you know him," she said, "And the other one I talked to was Ruth Ann. She's Gabe's daughter who inherited the spread when he passed last year."

Matt shook his head.

"Gabe passed," he said, "I wish I'd known. I used to share some beers with him at least twice a week when I wasn't working a case."

"His daughter's son had an accident," C.J. said, "So money's been a bit tight."

"And she fell behind on the mortgage," Matt guessed.

"Several months."

She turned off the main road and pulled up in front of a rather impressive looking ranch house with a wide front porch. On it, sat a young woman and two young children including one with his arm in a cast. C.J. and Matt got out of the car and walked up the steps.

"Would you like anything to drink," Ruth Ann asked, "I just made some iced tea."

Both Matt and C.J. said they would love some and she poured them two glasses from a pitcher. They sat down in chairs nearby and listened to her story.

"These are two of my children," she said, "Timmy here broke his arm in the accident."

Matt noticed the young boy didn't look the worse for wear. Breaking bones and suffering other injuries went part and parcel with ranch life. Very few who grew up in that world remained unscathed from it. They talked for about an hour more before C.J. and Matt drove back to the ranch.

"She's in a really rough strait," Matt said, "but she's got her family so she'll be fine."

C.J. sighed.

"She needs money Houston," she said, "If she doesn't make those payments, she'll lose the ranch."

"I could loan her the money," Matt said, "to pay off the delinquent balance."

"She won't take it Houston," C.J. said, "She's a proud woman. But she might end up selling to that developer."

Matt's brows knit.

"Yeah the name keeps popping up doesn't it," he said, "Maybe that's why the bank's been so much more aggressive lately."

"Maybe," C.J. mused, "but he's approached several of the other ranches that are in trouble offering to buy them out for quite a wad of cash."

"You see that's what makes me wonder C.J.," Matt said, "If there's some kind of scam going on here."

C.J. parked the car and took a look at the helicopter still sitting there.

"Looks fine to me," she said, "so you should be able to take off and fly it just fine."

He found himself not wanting to leave just yet, not sure why exactly. Maybe because he missed her an awful lot since she had bought his ranch.

"How was your day otherwise," he asked.

She chuckled a bit ruefully.

"Don't ask."

"That bad?"

She looked at the concern on his face and a few other things as well. After all the man that she grew up with and cared for so much had come wrapped in a nice package and she'd hardly be the first woman to notice. Shaking her head, she thought she really shouldn't be thinking about him that way. If he knew she had, he would just laugh and joke about it and she just couldn't listen to that right now.

"No, I just forgot what it was like to be a teenager," she said, "I have some local ones working for me and the girl, Lulu just asks such personal questions."

His interest piqued, especially when he noted the trace of pink accentuate her face.

"About what?"

She hesitated.

"About relationships…about sex… not necessarily in that order…"

He chuckled.

"Are you so surprised," he said, "I remember those years well."

"Well yeah, of course you do," she said, "You were star quarterback, Homecoming King and big man on the campus."

He shrugged.

"What about you," he asked, "Valedictorian, student body president, head of the debate team..."

She threw up her hands laughing.

"Okay you got me," she said, "but I didn't do much else besides focus on school and the ranch."

He smiled a bit impishly she thought.

"You broke a heart or two."

She remembered back to her romance with her first boyfriend who her foster parents had forbid her from seeing, but she had done so behind their back anyway not able to stay away from him. Then some weeks later she sweated in the bathroom at her friend Julia's house while she awaited the results of her home pregnancy test that the two of them had purchased from a drug store in some other town. Romance at that age hadn't been everything that it had been cracked up to be and certainly hadn't been what she had expected. Her Romeo had dumped her not long after that, taking off for the summer on the back of his Corvette. The same one he had rode to town and seduced her in.

"Thinking I had gotten pregnant at 17 was enough to put romance on the backburner for a while," she said, softly.

He looked at her stunned not exactly seeing that one coming.

"I guess your vision of me as the perfect student has been tainted," she said, "I almost thought about telling Lulu what relationships at her age can be like when the excitement of romance runs into reality."

Matt remained confused.

"Who almost got you pregnant?"

She shrugged, not appreciating his scrutiny.

"Does it matter," she said, "It was years ago. Ancient history."

The door had just been closed in his face. But he filed away her sudden revelation to address again later when circumstances were better than they were now. When he got her guard down maybe after a couple of drinks.

"And you're afraid it will happen to her."

She nodded.

"I just don't want Lulu to wind up where I could have been," C.J. said, "Pregnant while still a baby herself and alone."

He stroked her arm.

"You wouldn't have been alone."

She smiled at him for that knowing he meant every word of it.

"I guess I have a lot to learn before having kids of my own," she said.

He looked into her eyes.

"Have you been thinking about it," he asked.

"A lot lately," she said, "I think I'm ready for some changes in my life."


	4. Chapter 4

Here's another update of this FF story. I hope you enjoy it and thanks for reading and the feedback!

* * *

Matt had taken off to L.A. in his helicopter not long after she had said that. He wondered why she had told him about what had happened years ago when she had been a teenager and left wishing she had told him sooner like when it had happened. Still , it had been a shock to learn that some loser had played around with his best friend and left her thinking she would be pregnant and alone, in a small town that frowned on girls in that situation as if they did it all by themselves. If he had known back then, he would have gone after the creep and laid a couple of laws down on him for treating his friend like that then he would have sat right down with her until she found out for sure. But then again, she had kept the news from him for a reason until just an hour or so ago.

How had she kept that secret from him for so long? Usually they told each other everything that had happened in their lives from the time they had first met as small kids when she had moved in with her foster family who owned a ranch near his father's. But she had kept this event in her life a secret for over 10 years and that fact unsettled him during the helicopter ride back to the penthouse suite.

When he arrived back, he walked to the wet bar and poured himself a double Scotch on the rocks. Even though he had just spent the morning hung over, he hoped the drink would take the edge off the shock that still enveloped him at the bombshell C.J. had just dropped.

Roy wandered in and poured himself some juice. He eyed Matt there with his half-filled bottle of Scotch.

"A little of the hair of the dog that bit you," he said, "Maybe not a bad idea as long as you don't go overboard."

Matt examined his glass ruefully.

"Don't worry about that," he said, "Just one glass before I head on home."

Roy noticed his nephew sounded more subdued than he had this morning even with the hangover.

"What's going on with you Matlock," he asked.

Matt sighed.

"Have you ever thought you really knew someone as well as you knew yourself," he said, "then you find out you didn't know them nearly as well as you thought."

Roy nodded.

"Happened to me all the time for years," he said, "But then in my case you might call it an occupational hazard."

Matt remembered his uncle had worked for many years as a covert operative.

"You know what I mean," he said, "You think you got someone figured out and then they drop a bombshell on you one day."

Roy nodded again, sipping his juice.

"You're talking about C.J. aren't you?"

Matt just nodded.

"That woman's always been filled with surprises," Roy said, "I'm not sure why you haven't noticed."

Matt heard the reproach in his uncle's voice. Had he been missing something in his best friend all these years? That must be so because he had nearly dropped out of his chair when he found out she had purchased his ranch.

"She told me something that really shocked me."

Roy didn't look all that surprised to Matt.

"She must have had her reasons," Roy said, "Both for keeping it to herself and for finally telling you."

Matt considered that and knew his uncle spoke the truth.

"I just wish she had told me this," he said, "So I could have helped her with it."

Roy shook his head.

"Maybe she didn't want your help Matlock."

Matt looked taken aback and his uncle stifled back a chuckle at his nephew's expression.

"I know you have this part of you that wants to fix everything," Roy noted, "but sometimes the most important part of caring about someone is to give them enough space and enough trust to do their own fixing."

Matt sat there at a loss.

"I just wanted to help people," he said, "and she's my best friend."

Roy sipped his juice again.

"Who's taken off to spend some time by herself," he said, "to figure things out on her own."

Matt narrowed his eyes at his uncle.

"What did she tell you?"

Roy shrugged.

"Who said she had to tell me anything," he said, "I've known her almost as long as you have and she's not really been happy the past few months."

Matt had noticed that and hadn't known what to do or say about it. Every time he had planned to ask her about it, another client called or there was a stakeout to conduct.

"I know," Matt admitted, "I've been too busy to pay much attention to the things that really matter."

Roy smiled.

"There's still time to make it up to her," he said, "That is if you're up for it. She's too special of a woman for nothing but the best you have to offer."

Matt scratched his jaw.

"You're right…"

* * *

C.J. ate her dinner on the deck, looking out across the acreage of meadows. She had spent an hour or so bringing in the younger horses because the rumors of coyotes running around the area still persisted. Bo and Lamar had helped her herd a small group of mares and foals into the barn and she had rounded up Matt's beloved paint horse that he had won in a chili contest. She thought about taking her out for a ride the next day.

She thought about Matt and her brow knit in concern as she remembered how worried he had been about something that had happened to her years earlier. Guilt panged her as she realized that she had only told him part of the story and not the whole tale. But she didn't know how to break the hardest bit of news to him about her teenaged romance that had come crashing down. She sipped her wine and looked at the beauty of the stars resting above the ranch, her mind shifting to Randy. She bristled inwardly at his accusation about her being hung up on her best friend, a man who would never return her feelings. He had thrown that last observation at her to hurt her, but the only way that could have happened is if it had been laced with truth.

Okay, yeah she had feelings for her friend. Who wouldn't want to explore something with a man like him who was both great to look at and to spend time with? But she had realized quick enough that Matt's taste in women didn't include her and life had moved on and she had met plenty of men who appreciated what she had to offer.

But that wasn't the reason she had left L.A.

Footsteps sounded behind her and she turned around to see Lamar behind her. For a moment she had thought…

"I'm about to turn in but I think the horses will be fine in the barn," he said.

She nodded.

"I've not even heard a single coyote since I arrived," she said, "but the babies need to be inside with their mothers anyway at night."

"Are you taking Lulu and Dylan out to finish the fencing tomorrow," he asked.

She sighed.

"I might as well," she said, "Between the three of us, maybe we'll finally get it done. Will you and Bo be able to handle building the shed by yourselves?"

Lamar nodded.

"It won't take long at all," he said, "and then we'll get started on some real Texas chili."

C.J. smiled warmly at the thought of that. She had planted some seedlings of different pepper plants in a small plot of land near the house when she arrived so whenever they needed chilies from cayenne, to Serrano to Jalapeno, all they had to do was step outside the kitchen.

"I'll invite some of the neighbors to come tomorrow," she said, "and we'll have a real party."

Lamar nodded, excitedly.

"And don't forget to invite Matt and Uncle Roy…"

She bit her lip. Surely Matt would be too busy tied up in a case to hop on the helicopter and fly out to the ranch.

"I'll extend an invite but he's probably going to be too busy."

Lamar shook his head.

"Since when has he been too busy to spend time with you?"

C.J. ran her hand through her hair, not wanting to go near that one.

* * *

Matt didn't engage in any more drinking when he came to the office the next morning and hid out in his office most of the day, taking phone calls and doing some background checking on Stanley and Gloria. Normally C.J. proved to be the pro at gathering this information that they relied on to decide whether to take a case and if so how to proceed with it. But obviously, she wasn't even in town but clearly was having the time of her life out on his…her ranch. He had to practice saying that until it flowed from his mouth more naturally. But then Rome…hell not even Texas had been built in a day so it might take some time.

He had worked hard the rest of the day into the evening, not even daring to stick his head out of his office lest he be overrun by his secretaries with more documents to read and sign. Murray had flown to a business meeting in San Francisco so at least he hadn't needed to worry about him. His stomach began to growl so he thought about ordering some dinner but then decided that the best barbecue places in L.A. didn't deliver so he had to go looking for his dinner rather than planning for it to come to him. He stepped outside his office and saw her sitting on the couch.

Gloria. Stanley's loyal secretary, albeit one who might be stabbing him in the back on the side. After all, during the lunch meeting, she had slipped off one of her shoes and tried to play footie with him under the table right in front of her boss.

What was she doing here without Stanley? She got up when she saw him, smoothing her tight dress that molded quite nicely to her shapely form, enough to definitely attract his attention. Still, why did he feel more annoyed than attracted to her? Maybe it was because he hadn't eaten since he had gotten back to the office. Maybe he had lingering feelings for his former fiancée who had left him at the altar. Maybe…he should just drop it for now.

"Mr. Houston," she said, "I just had to see you."

He approached her a bit wary.

"Can I get you something to drink," he said, walking to the wet bar.

She nodded.

"A brandy would be nice."

He obliged by pouring her some of his finest brandy and poured himself a little bit of Scotch on the rocks, light on the former, heavy on the latter. She sat on the sofa and patted it when he approached with the glasses.

"Come join me," she said, "I have to tell you something about this case and I can't do it if you're standing over there."

"I'll sit in the chair," he said, "and listen to what you have to say but I haven't agreed to take the case yet."

Gloria looked confused.

"I thought that your partner…he just called me not too long ago and said you would help me…that is Stanley and me."

Matt felt a wave of annoyance go through him.

"Well I've got quite a few cases already," he said, "and I like to give them each my individual attention. I just don't know if I have the time right now…"

She leaned closer to him and he could smell a wave of her perfume hit him, as did the fact that she wore a low cut dress.

"You can always make the time," she said, "and I can always make it worth your while."

Matt had heard that line many a time from many an attractive lady and in most cases, they had been trying to distract him from his handling of a case. Not that he hadn't experienced some truly great…distraction but his instincts told him he had to remain focused here.

"Well, listen why don't we skip all that and you tell me why you're really here," he said.

Her mouth turned down in a pout.

"I just thought we should get to know each other a little better…to help Stanley."

Like hell she wanted to help her boss. She just wanted to get into his pants as a form of pleasant diversion so he wouldn't discover what she really wanted. For one thing, he doubted old Stanley knew his secretary was even here on his couch drinking his brandy. Matt wondered what else the head of the software company didn't know about her.

Suddenly one of his secretaries, the new girl Rebecca, came walking up to him. He felt relieved to see her even if it meant signing something.

"Rebecca, great to see you," he said, "What can I do for you?"

She smiled at him.

"You could do a few things but my two brothers would kill me afterward," she demurred, "so I'll settle for just telling you that C.J. phoned from the ranch and is inviting you, Uncle Roy and anyone from the office to come to her chili party tonight."

Matt's mouth watered at the thought of tasting some real down home cooked chili from one of Bo or Lamar's ancient family recipes. Not to mention having his conversation with Gloria interrupted just at the right time.

"I'll be more than happy to accept her invite," he said, "Uncle Roy's off to Catalina Island for a couple of days but I'm sure Zack would like to come."

Rebecca nodded.

"We'll all carpool then," she said, "and leave you two the helicopter."

Matt nodded, happily enough looking forward to heading back to the ranch. Rebecca walked back to her office and Matt looked at Gloria who had finished her brandy and was running an Emory board across her fingernails.

"Who's C.J.?"

Matt sipped his drink.

"She's a good friend of mine and a business partner."

"Why isn't she here then," Gloria asked, folding her arms.

"She's bought herself a ranch and she's taken off some time from the business for a while."

"Is there something between the two of you?"

Matt frowned.

"That's none of your business," he said, "but as circumstances would have it, no there's not, just a lifelong friendship."

Gloria scoffed.

"Men and women can't be friends," she said, "It's against the laws of nature."

Matt almost dropped his drink at her words. He and C.J. had been best friends for years, since they were small children without ever jumping into bed with each other. Not that it had always been easy to avoid that temptation although he tried not to let C.J. catch on. After all, she was a beautiful young woman and he was a man attracted to beautiful young women but he never acted on it. He loved his playboy lifestyle and getting involved with a variety of women who flocked around him and he never could consider a casual fling with his lifelong fling no matter how tempted. But wait a minute with his current train of thought, was he bolstering Gloria's claim?

"I disagree," he said, "Men and women can be very good friends even best friends."

She laughed at that.

"Prove it to me," she said, "and I might just buy it, not that I wouldn't mind being very close friends with you if what you say is true."

He ignored the innuendo in her voice.

"Listen I have a lot of work to do here and I believe we're finished here," he said, "I'll contact you in a day or so when I've decided whether or not to accept your case."

She protested.

"But your partner said…"

"He shouldn't have promised anything," Matt said, "but I'll let you know what the answer is, okay?"

She got off the sofa and sauntered towards the elevator looking none too happy with his words. Matt shook his head and walked back into his office.


	5. Chapter 5

The latest part of this story's up...Hope you enjoy it and thanks for reading and the feedback!

* * *

C.J. had woken up early that morning and with the two teenaged hands, she had headed out on horseback to finish up the fencing. She had settled them on experienced horses who behaved themselves and they had ridden out across several pastures to where she and Lulu had been working the previous day. The work passed much more quickly because there were two sets of hands to hold up the new planks of board instead of just one. And the two of them seemed to get along fairly well, in fact if she didn't know better, they appeared to know each other very well.

"Dylan, can you hand me a nail," Lulu said, flashing him one of her smiles.

He tripped over some barbed wire bales to reach her. C.J. watched them and rolled her eyes a bit. Had she been so obvious when she had been their age? Oh wait, yes she had when the guy with the fancy Corvette had invited her to go riding…down to Sundance Point to check out the view. But as it turned out, the only view he appeared interested in had nothing to do with the breathtaking scenery that surrounded that ridge a few miles out of town. Not that she hadn't figured that out before they have even arrived at the place where most of the kids in their town brought their dates. In fact, she would have been disappointed if he hadn't made a move.

She shook that memory out of her head and lined up the board that Lulu had held when she wasn't making eyes at Dylan, with the remaining part of the fence and carefully hammered the thick nails through the wood. Satisfied, she stepped back and took a look, after testing the fence by leaning on it. She sure wasn't equivalent to a half ton horse or a full grown cow but the fence appeared to be firmly in place. If not, she would find out soon enough.

They broke for lunch under a throng of trees which shielded them from the sun and they watched a couple of mares and foals that had ambled close to them for some fresh grass. Summer had already begun drying out some of the green in the pastures, turning them a dusty brown. She thought when they finished up here, they would have to head back and check to see how Bo and Lamar were doing with the chili, which they had began preparing in a huge pot outside next to the barn was customary for their brand of Texas chili. She had seen them up bright and early collecting chilies that covered every hue of the rainbow to give it that right amount of kick.

She felt a pang that Matt wasn't there to help them prepare it but she figured he had enough in the big city to keep him too busy even to come to her party. Some of the secretaries in the office had just RSVPed on their invitations but she hadn't heard back from him yet. She slapped the dirt off of her jeans and looked at her two charges who were doing more talking than eating.

"Okay we've got about an hour more of work here and then we're heading back," she said.

They nodded absently at her and then returned to each other. She was really going to have to have a talk with both of them when they returned to the ranch.

* * *

Matt looked at Zack who sat opposite from him at the Mexican restaurant where they had dropped by to pick up enough of a bite to hold them over until C.J.'s chili party. Zack had ordered a couple of margaritas but Matt had sworn off liquor for the day.

"So how many people did C.J. invite to her little party," Zack asked.

"Everyone at the office and some of the neighbors," Matt responded, sipping his iced tea with a slice of lime.

"That's going to require a lot of chili."

"Not to worry," Matt said, "Bo and Lamar can make enough to feed a small army."

"How are the two of them doing since they've been back in California?"

Matt smiled.

"It's not Texas," he said, "but once they discovered that C.J. had bought my ranch and needed some hands, they packed up and jumped in the car to head on out here."

Zack shook his head.

"She's really got it in her head to get your ranch up and running again?"

Matt took another sip, deciding the iced tea didn't taste too bad.

"She's got it in her head to do a lot of things," he said, "And when that happens, she won't let anyone or anything stop her."

Zack bit into his taco.

"She's always been like that," he said, "since we were in high school."

Matt frowned.

"I didn't think you knew her that well," he said, "You were gone most of the time since you graduated four years ahead of us."

His friend shrugged.

"I came back to town now and then," he said, "In between jobs. A couple of times during the summers when you were gone somewhere."

Matt remembered that the summer before his senior year in high school, he had taken off to go on some wilderness survival trip with his uncle and then the next summer, Europe. C.J. had remained behind in Texas either working on the ranch or taking a summer job in town. She hadn't come from money like he did and wanted nothing more than to save up enough money to supplement any financial aid or scholarship she would receive to go to university and then later, Harvard School of Law.

"So you two ran into each other then?"

Zack smiled.

"In a matter of speaking," he said, "Mostly to catch up on what was going on with you."

Matt wondered about the rest of it but didn't say anything.

"So did you tell her we're coming or are you just planning on showing up and surprising her?"

"You know I should give her a call," Matt said, pulling out his cell phone and entering her number.

C.J. reined in her horse when she heard her phone ring. She reached to get it and flipped it open.

"Hello Houston…"

"Why hello yourself."

She checked to make sure Lulu and Dylan were still riding behind her.

"What can I do for you," she asked.

"Listen I'm just calling you to tell you that the whole office will be coming to your party tonight," Matt said.

"I heard from Chris and she's driving but hadn't heard back from you."

"I know I should have called earlier," Matt said, "Zack and I will be flying out as soon as we're finished tying up loose ends here."

"You and Zack," she repeated.

"Well Uncle Roy is still in Catalina and can't come so it's just the two of us."

She hesitated.

"That will be fine," she said, "I'll keep an eye out for the copter."

Matt said goodbye and put his phone away.

"So what's the verdict," Zack asked.

"She'll be expecting us," Matt said, "I told her we'd be flying out. It's going to be really good seeing her."

"You just saw her yesterday," Zack reminded him.

"Oh yeah…"

Matt knew it seemed crazy but he really couldn't wait to see his best friend again. He had enjoyed visiting her at the ranch and reconnecting with some of his former neighbors. He just wished it were under better circumstances than them facing foreclosures. C.J. had seemed healthy and happy wearing her worn jeans and his sweatshirt and had been animated when telling him about her plans for the ranch. She had asked him if he wanted to tour his old house and see what she had done with it and he told her he wasn't quite ready for that yet. The house still held fond memories for him, in its quiet masculine décor.

"Matt, I received a phone call from a very upset Gloria about a meeting she had with you," Zack said.

"Oh that."

Zack threw him an irritated look.

"Yes that," he said, "Do you know what Stanley was willing to pay in terms of a retainer if we took his case?"

Matt sighed.

"I don't care about his damn retainer," he said, "I care about helping people."

Zack nodded.

"Of course you do," he said, "but you can do that and collect a healthy fee."

Matt looked at his watch, not wanting to get into another argument with Zack.

"We'd better get back to the office," he said, "I've got some work to finish up before we head out to the ranch."

* * *

C.J. finished setting up the serving tables outside on the patio near the swimming pool. Bo and Lamar were tending to the chili out near the barn and Lulu helped C.J. prepare the side dishes including a salad.

"How's the chili doing," C.J. asked Lamar when she brought a stack of plates to the tables.

"It's almost done," Lamar said, "Bo thinks it needs some more chilies but I told him it tastes just right."

C.J. smiled.

"I guess we'll let the guests decide," she said, "but I'm sure it's just fine. The cornbread's just out of the oven and the salad's done."

Bo and Lamar weren't used to seeing this more domestic side of C.J. given that she usually didn't have enough time to spend in the kitchen but since she had moved out to the ranch, she had learned that she enjoyed cooking meals for herself to eat out on the porch and watching the sun set on the horizon. She had been happy to hear from Matt that he had planned to attend her party, but not as thrilled about Zack coming. She knew he was a close friend of Matt's and that they had served in the military together but she just didn't like him much.

Lulu walked into the kitchen.

"Some guests are here," she said, grabbing a piece of cornbread and tasting it, "This isn't bad…"

C.J. chuckled.

"You seem surprised," she said, "It's been a while since I've had time to spend in a kitchen but I learned how to cook."

Lamar came rushing in the kitchen. C.J. looked up at him.

"What's going on," she asked.

Lamar just grimaced.

"Bo almost tipped the whole pot of chili over but I caught it just in the nick of time," he said.

C.J. put her hands on her hips and looked at the ranch hand.

"What happened," she said, wondering if she should even ask.

"Beaulah got out of her pen," Lamar said, his eyes big.

Beaulah, all 500 pounds of her, had moved to the ranch along with Bo and Lamar when they had arrived from Texas to resettle on the ranch. The beloved pet had been the runt of a litter of nine and Bo had swooped in and saved her from being smothered under the rest of the brood. He named the sow after his favorite ex-wife who had been been popular on the rodeo queen circuit back in the day, insisting that the Beaulah, the human would view it as a compliment.

C.J. shook her head.

"Did she take off again?"

Lamar chuckled.

"Bo tried to grab her but she just wiggled out of his hands," he said, as if it were the funniest sight in the world.

And C.J. might have agreed if she didn't have a pig running around rampant just minutes before her party got started.

"Maybe she'll head to the lake again for a swim," C.J. said.

Bo came running in the kitchen, covered head to toe with mud.

"Have you seen her?"

Both C.J. and Lamar looked at him.

"Seen who," Lamar asked.

Bo threw his hands up in the air.

"Beaulah, that's who," he said, "I thought I had here when she high tailed it to the barn but she must have slipped past me."

Lamar sighed.

"Hold on Bo," he said, "I'll go help you look."

C.J. watched the both of them run out of her kitchen, as she shook her head.

* * *

Matt expertly piloted the helicopter over the mountains and back down into the valley where the ranches were located. Zack shook his head as he looked outside the window.

"I still don't get it."

"Get what?"

"How anyone can give up the convenience and excitement of city living to live out in the middle of nowhere," Zack said.

"Didn't you grow up on a ranch," Matt asked.

Zack laughed.

"I got off of it as soon as I could and took off," he said, "wherever the road took me."

Matt just shook his head at his friend, not understanding how anyone could ever have felt confined by living in such beautiful wide open country like Zack clearly did. He lowered the helicopter to land it on the helipad next to the ranch house and after settling it down, he and Zack left it and walked to the pool area where the party took place. They saw that Pam, Chris and the others from the office had arrived and had piled up their plates high with food to eat by the pool.

* * *

C.J. saw the two men walking towards her and when Matt reached her, she embraced him telling him that she was happy to see him. She just nodded at Zack and they all walked to the serving tables. Matt tasted the chili and tried to compliment Bo and Lamar on it but didn't see them anywhere around.

"Where are the two cooks," he asked C.J.

She tried to appear casual.

"Oh they're out looking for Beaulah…"

Matt's brows knit in confusion.

"Beaulah," he said, "Isn't she Bo's ex-wife?"

C.J. shook her head.

"Not this Beaulah," she said, "She's Bo's pet pig and she didn't want to stay in her pen while everyone else was having fun."

"Sounds like his ex-wife."

C.J. rolled her eyes at Matt and just told him to go fix himself some chili. He watched her go, noticing that she had ditched her favorite jeans and his sweatshirt for the evening and had decided to wear a summer dress instead. It flattered her figure but then so did anything made out of fabric.

"She's not playing the tomboy," Zack noted as they headed to the food tables.

"No she's not done that for a while," Matt said, "This chili sure hits the spot."

The two man also stopped by the wet bar where a man Matt didn't recognize tended bar.

"What will it be for the two of you," the man asked.

Matt looked at him.

"Have we met…"

The man shook his head.

"No but I've heard a lot about you from C.J.," he said, "I'm Slade Holstein and I have a spread about five miles up the road."

"So you know C.J. then."

The man broke out into a smile.

"Know here," he said, "It's the strangest thing. We used to go out with each other when she first came out here when I still was selling stocks and bonds in the big city."

"So you two…"

Slade looked at him.

"Don't I wish it with a woman like her," he said, "but our relationship is just business. I'm friends with some of the ranchers she's helping with the bank. Still, she's a mighty fine woman and she's just up the road…"

Matt nodded, feeling the stirrings of something…no it couldn't be… he just felt as her best friend that it wouldn't be out of line to advise her to be careful when going out with men. And to not forget the self-defense moves he had taught her before they even moved to a fast-paced and even dangerous city like L.A.

"Nice to meet you," Matt said, sizing up the man from his worn boots to his even more worn cowboy hat.

The man shook his hand.

"Likewise…"

C.J. wandered over to the bar and asked Slade to freshen her drink.

"So you two met," she asked, "You two have something in common…"

Matt blinked, wondering what she was getting at and not sure he wanted to hear the answer.

"What's that," he asked.

"You both have a thing for amphibians," she said, brightly, "Slade's a big admirer of Rupert."

Matt looked taken aback.

"You introduced him to Rupert?"

She smiled back at him.

"Yes I did," she said, "and we was very impressed with him."

"What about Rupert," Matt asked.

She shrugged.

"All he cares about is getting it on with Hildegard and adding to his dynasty," she said, "or taking these really long naps."

"He's probably really tired after all that activity," Zack chimed in.

C.J. frowned slightly when she remembered that Zack had arrived at her party.

"Hildegard's not complaining," she said, "Every suitor should be so lucky."

Zack's mouth tightened at C.J.'s words which wasn't lost on Matt. What the hell was going on between the two of them? At some point when things quieted down, he was going to have to push them to separate corners for a briefing. But right now, he wanted to enjoy spending time on what used to be his ranch at C.J.'s party.

She proved to be a great hostess and everyone looked like they were having a great time. C.J.'s attire had attracted some appreciative glances from the males in attendance and Matt wondered what he had just walked into as he sat down by the pool and talked with some of the other ranchers. C.J. had joined some of the woman along with Chris and Pam and he could hear hearty laughter coming from that group. Zach hit on every single girl at the party refreshing his drink between rejections. Matt didn't feel sorry for his friend because he was a grown man and should know that rejection was just part of the dating game.

But Matt wasn't aware for what was about to happen next.


	6. Chapter 6

Another installment of this fan fiction story. Hope you enjoy it, thanks for reading and the feedback! Much appreciated!

* * *

C.J. looked around at the guests at her party and to her satisfaction, everyone looked happy. Some of them looked more than that including her impromptu bartender Slade who had been shooting her some appreciative glances during the evening. She smiled back at him, as she checked the food tables and supervised the transfer of the chili from the huge pot to the serving warmers. Bo and Lamar had toted the chili onto the table, while Bo groused about his missing pig who still hadn't been seen or heard anywhere by anyone during the party. Bo said he hoped a pack of coyotes hadn't gotten her and Lamar had just reminded him that Beulah the pig was as ornery as Beulah the ex-wife and could fend for herself.

Both Lulu and Dylan had been behaving themselves and had proven to be good assistants at her party, ensuring that the side dishes were refreshed and that the used dishes were dispatched back to the kitchen to be rinsed and loaded in the dish washer. She hadn't had any time to talk some sense into either one of them about why rushing into sex wasn't the best idea in the world. Perhaps if she penciled in some time for each one of them tomorrow…

Zack had settled near the far end of the swimming pool still trying to charm some of the women attending. Chris and Pam had rebuffed his advances as they always did when he hit on them at the office.

Pam shook her head as she brought some dishes into the kitchen while C.J. had whipped up another salad.

"That man is all hands," Pam complained, "When his lines didn't work, he tried some bodily contact instead."

"Too bad Hank wasn't here," C.J. said about Pam's boyfriend, "He could have talked some sense into Zack and saved us all."

"He seems to give you a wide enough berth," Pam noted.

"I guess I'm just fortunate in that way," C.J. said, shrugging.

Pam frowned.

"Why is Houston friends with him," she asked.

C.J. paused a moment.

"I guess it's because they've known each other their whole lives," she said, "They went to high school at different times because Zack's a bit older but they served in the same military unit together."

"They're just so different personality wise," Pam said, "Houston's a really nice guy and Zack's…"

"Not," C.J. finished, "Here, let's get this salad back out on the table before anyone notices it's missing…"

Matt hit the chili hard and since he had to fly the helicopter back, went easy on the liquor sticking to a beer or two. Zack probably knowing he didn't have to drive back hit the bar outside several times and Slade had handed him a couple Scotch on the rocks which Zack had apparently gulped right down. After he started drinking, the women began to give him an even wider berth. C.J. stayed away from him completely, Matt noticed. But then she had been busy keeping the food on the table and the guests happy. Matt had been happy enough just being on his ranch again, having not realized how much he missed it until it had been sold.

Suddenly Lamar came running towards the pool.

"What is it Lamar," Matt asked.

"Bo's got Beulah cornered near the barn," he said, "She's wet like she took a dip in the lake which has made her slicker than a…greased hog."

Matt sighed and stood up.

"I'll help you catch her."

He followed Lamar to the barn where sure enough, Bo had cornered his prize pig who looked not too happy to be stuck without an escape route. She certainly was huge, Matt noticed, with coarse hair, large hooves and a pink bow tied to her tail.

"Beulah, stop being so stubborn," Bo chided, "or I might change my mind about serving you for dinner."

The pig snorted and dug one of her front hooves into the floor. She hunkered down and Matt just knew she was going to make a run for it and probably knock them flat on the ground in the process. He looked down at his clothes which were not exactly dressy but not exactly suited for ranch work either. He supposed if he were careful…

A loud noise permeated the barn as Beulah made her move, straight for Matt.

"Now hold on girl," Matt said, trying to avoid getting slammed by a 500 pound sow intent on escape.

He tried to dodge the pig but the large animal swiped him in passing, knocking him into the straw. Bo and Lamar set off yelling after Beulah and after Matt got up, he ran after the two men outside the barn. As the three men went chasing after the pig, the other guests at the party caught sight of them.

"What are they doing," Chris asked.

C.J. shrugged.

"Looks like Beulah's giving them a run for their money."

Slade hopped out from behind the bar.

"I wonder if they need some help there."

Sure enough when the men resurfaced again, this time the pig chased them while bellowing at the top of her lungs. C.J. sighed.

"We'd better go stop that pig."

She and Slade rushed over to the barn where Beulah had the three men cornered while pawing the ground with her hoof.

"Bo, are you sure she's been trained," Matt asked.

The ranch hand scratched his head.

"I thought I had trained her," she said, "but then I thought I had trained my ex-wife."

Matt saw Slade and C.J. coming towards him and bristled a bit. They were handling things just fine on their own, the three of them, and had didn't need the help of a neighboring rancher who had been checking out the party's hostess all evening.

"You need help partner," Slade yelled.

"We're just fine here," Matt answered.

C.J. rolled her eyes.

"I'll bet."

Suddenly Beulah left the three men and started running again, this time towards the swimming pool.

Bo and Lamar looked at each other.

"We'd better stop there before she gets to the chili."

They all started running after the sow and Matt finally was able to find a way to cut her off at the pass before she reached the party. He sucked in his breath and took a flying leap, landing right on top of the sow and then the wrestling match began.

"Who's winning," Bo asked Lamar.

Lamar scratched his head.

"It's too early to tell."

Matt tried to maintain a hold on the pig but Lamar had been right. She was pretty slick to hold onto especially while she continued to struggle. Finally Bo and Lamar were able to help him. C.J. just looked at them, thinking they were going about this all wrong and she remembered something that Bo had said about his pig when they first arrived. How Beulah loved apple pie, freshly baked not store bought. And C.J. just happened to have some freshly baked pies cooling in the kitchen to serve as dessert for her guests. She sighed, thinking they would just have to be sacrificed for a greater cause. She excused herself and headed off to the kitchen in a rush.

"Where's she going," Slade asked.

C.J. returned soon enough carrying one of her pies. She didn't have to get to close to Beulah who soon began twitching her nose. She easily cast the three men off of her and started bellowing for her pie. C.J. just tossed it at her and the pig began greedily feasting on it, making happy noises. Matt got up off the ground and dusted himself off, just looking at her.

"C.J. how did you…"

She shrugged.

"Well there goes my dessert," she said, "but at least she likes it. Now Bo and Lamar, I think it's hard to get her to her pen while she's in a good mood."

After Beulah finished her treat, she was more than happy to go with them. Matt looked down at his clothes which were covered with mud and other things and knew he had to shower and change his clothes before going back to the party.

C.J. read his mind.

"There's plenty of warm water and you've still got some clothes in your closet," she said.

Slade shook his head.

"C.J., you are one hell of a woman," he said, admiringly.

"Slade," she said, "I always was that woman."

He looked somewhat chagrined.

"I'm a much better man now," he said, "since I got out of the cutthroat world of high finance and found out what I really love doing."

"You look really…good."

He smiled at that.

"I'd better go check on the drinks," he said.

She watched him go, thinking that wasn't such a bad view of him really. He did take great care of his body without thinking much about it and she hadn't been the only woman at the party to notice. Nothing beat a great body that was built through hard work and not by spending too much time at a gym flexing Pecs.

Matt began to smell himself and realized it wasn't just mud on his clothes. He whipped his shirt off, and C.J. took an intake of breath at his physique as she always did. Of course with your best friend, you really had to keep that to yourself.

"I'll be back in a minute," he said, walking off to the house.

She sighed, thinking that between these two men, she needed a cold drink about now.

* * *

C.J. got herself a beer and headed off to sit by the pool, enjoying the warm evening breeze that had begun its nightly visit to the ranch. It carried with it the heady scent of alfalfa and wild flowers. She closed her eyes thinking it didn't get any better than that, not missing the hectic world of city living in the least. Here, she woke up with the sun and worked all day outside in the clean air tending to her ranch. In the evenings, she put a little work into the house to add some custom touches to it before settling with a glass of wine in the Jacuzzi. She slept better at night than she had in the last few months she had lived in her house in L.A.

Suddenly, she heard footsteps and looked up and saw Zack with probably about his fifth Scotch and noticed he lurched a bit before sitting down in a nearby chair. She groaned inwardly.

"Hello C.J."

She sighed.

"Run out of girls to reject you?"

He smiled but it didn't feel friendly.

"C.J. does Matt know you have this…unpleasant side?"

She scratched her head.

"Does he know that about you?"

Zack chuckled.

"His agency has doubled its profit margin since I started working with him," he said, "You can't argue with success and neither can he."

"Zack, Houston has all the money he'll ever need or want," she said, "His agency's about helping people in trouble and that's what motivates him. Something people like you will never understand."

"What you don't understand is that he's going to find out that I'm right," he said, "about a few things."

She sipped her beer, wishing he would go away. Zack looked over at the bar.

"Impressive looking guy," he said, "You could do worse."

"I have," she said, "but that was a long time ago. Slade's got a good heart."

"And men like me don't?"

She just watched him silently for a moment.

"You said it," she said, "I didn't have to. But Zack, you're a user. I didn't know back when I was younger, but I know that now."

"How can you say that," he said, "We had fun together didn't we?"

C.J. just shook her head.

"You had fun," she corrected, "It wasn't much fun for me."

"Oh that," he said, "I've grown up since those days."

C.J. had been watching him since he had returned into their lives and didn't really think he had changed that much. But Zack had saved Matt's life while they were on a mission for the military and she thought that Matt felt he owed his old friend.

"Whatever," she said, "Just stay away from me and my ranch…"

"Or you'll tell Matt," Zack scoffed, "You do that and I can tell him what you were like back in the day."

C.J. nearly choked on her beer. She hadn't been anything back then except naïve.

He stroked her leg.

"You know those weren't such bad days," he said.

She pulled away from him and he grabbed her arm, pulling on her.

"Why do you have to make things so difficult," he said, "The past is the past."

She shot him a deadly look.

"Do you even dare…"

He chuckled.

"Now that's more like it."

C.J. felt anger fill her, including that which was older than she realized. She grabbed her beer and poured the contents of it right into his lap. As it sunk through his pants, hitting his skin, he jumped out of his chair.

"What the hell did you do that for," he said, louder than he had intended.

Other guests looked at the two of them as he skulked off. She leaned back in her seat, a smile slowly spreading across her face.

She wondered how long it would take one of the guests to tell Matt what had happened between her and Zack. If Matt knew, he didn't approach her about it during the party. He had showered and had come back dressed in some jeans and a university varsity football shirt. Zack had resumed to hitting on the women again after Slade had vetoed serving him any more drinks from the bar.

"You've had enough to drink partner," he said, "You're going to be really feeling in the morning."

* * *

Zack had just grumbled and walked away, still smelling of the beer that C.J. had poured on him. When people asked, he just said he had accidently bumped into someone else, spilling their drink on him. The party begun to wind down and C.J. had begun to recruit Lulu and Dylan to help her clean up. She and the teenage girl had begun scraping dishes in the kitchen to wash after the guests had left. Lulu looked to C.J. as if she had something she wanted to say.

"What's on your mind Lulu," C.J. finally asked.

Lulu hesitated.

"Why did you pour beer on that guy," she asked.

C.J. hedged her answer.

"That's not how I usually treat men," she said, "but Zack's not a very nice man."

Lulu sighed.

"I saw him hitting on all the women," she said, "even when they told him to get lost."

"He doesn't handle rejection from women well," C.J. said, "He always attributes it to some problem with us, not with him."

Lulu looked at her sideways.

"You went out with him?"

C.J. nodded.

"When I was about your age," she said, "He's a bit older than me and at that age that impressed me a lot. I had these feelings about him but I didn't really know what they meant."

Lulu cut to the chase.

"Did you sleep with him?"

"Yes I did," she said, "On our second date in the back seat of his Corvette. It was my first time actually."

Lulu's eyes widened.

"No really," C.J. said, with a smile, "I was more into dreaming about what I wanted to be when I grew up than in guys. But Zack, he just seemed so different…more worldly…sophisticated. I thought he would take care of me."

"Guys can't do that," Lulu said, "They can barely take care of themselves."

"Some of them are like that," C.J. agreed, "but as it turned out, Zack was just interested in getting what he wanted."

"Did he dump you afterward?"

C.J. sighed.

"No, he dumped me after I thought I might be pregnant."

Lulu looked at her startled.

"You….were…"

C.J. shook her head.

"No, it was a false alarm," she said, "but by the time I found out he was long gone."

Lulu shook her head.

"Sounds like a jerk."

"Agreed," C.J. said, "But I learned a valuable lesson about relationships. It takes maturity to really be able to navigate through them."

Lulu bit her lip.

"Don't get me wrong," C.J. said, "There's nothing better than a great relationship with a guy, someone you can really connect with on different levels and not just sexually. It's great to be good friends with him."

Lulu looked somewhat skeptical.

"I always thought if a guy was hot, he was worth going after."

C.J. considered her words.

"Attraction and chemistry help a lot," she said, "But at the end of the day you want someone you can be comfortable with, who accepts you as you are and doesn't try to change you into someone else."

Lulu shrugged.

"Maybe some of us want to change," she said, "I'd like to be taller and prettier and well…be a whole lot bigger up front."

C.J. smiled.

"You're a pretty girl Lulu," she said, "and you've got a lot of growing up still to do. But there are plenty of other things in life besides looks."

Matt had gone to the kitchen to look for C.J. because he had taken one look at Zack and decided it was time to head back to L.A. But she had been so preoccupied talking to Lulu by the sink after Lulu had called someone a jerk, that she hadn't noticed his arrival. So he stood there and listened to what she told the girl unable to walk away.

"Like what," Lulu asked.

C.J. realized that the girl hadn't been kidding but was serious about her question.

"There are your smarts and your dedication to what you do and care about," she said, "and who you care about, family, friends…"

"I don't have much of a family," Lulu mumbled.

C.J. read the forlorn look in the young girl's eyes and related to it.

"I didn't either once my parents died," she said, "So I built a family of my own. It doesn't matter whether you're related by blood or not. When it comes down to it, families are built more on love and commitment than on bloodlines."

Lulu nodded.

"Maybe you're right," she said, "I'm pretty close to Daisy..."

"Daisy…?"

"The collie that lives with my foster family," she said, "She sleeps on my bed at night."

C.J. put a hand on her hip trying to come up with a response when she noticed Matt standing there. She narrowed her eyes at him. Lulu looked at the both of them and then left the kitchen, shaking her head.

"How long have you been standing there," she asked, folding her arms.

"Not long," he said, "You handled that really well."

She looked away.

"Well, life's good at teaching lessons," she said, "and if I shared something in my own experiences that helps her, it's worth it."

"I think she was listening…"

She looked him over.

"You've cleaned yourself up," she said, "I'm sorry about Beulah."

"What have you got to be sorry about," Matt asked, "She's Bo's pig, not yours."

"This party turned out to be pretty interesting," she said, "But the chili was great…"

"Bo and Lamar might be a lot of things," Matt said, "but they make the best chili in the West."

She nodded in agreement and noticed him looking at her a bit strangely.

"I just ran into Zack," Matt said, "Why's he wearing beer on his pants?"

C.J. shrugged and turned away.

"I mean the man was drinking Scotch all evening so if some beer…"

"Maybe he bumped into someone drinking beer and it spilled…"

His gaze never let her.

"Maybe someone poured it on him," he finished.

Damn he didn't miss much did he? Next she knew, he would tell her he knew who had been drinking that beer.

"Listen Houston…"

"You were drinking beer," he said, "and some of the women from our office saw you have words with him."

She sighed.

"Nothing happened," she said, "Let's just say this. He's your friend. He's not mine. And leave it at that."

She started to walk away. He grabbed her arm.

"If he said something…"

She pulled her arm out of his grip and looked at him.

"The subject's closed," she said, "Maybe you'd better fly him home before he passes out in my flower patch."

She walked past them and he knew that the subject had been effectively closed…for now. If he couldn't get an answer from her, he would get one from Zack once he sobered up. Then he would figure out what to do.


	7. Chapter 7

Hi, here's another installment of this story. Hope you enjoy it and thanks for reading and for your feedback!

* * *

C.J. had said goodbye to her guests including Matt who escorted an inebriated Zack to the helicopter and buckled him inside it. She didn't know if she would have done that favor for him but then Matt and Zack were old war buddies and that probably made for a bond she couldn't begin to understand. Because he had saved Matt's life, C.J. hadn't told her friend about what had happened between her and Zack years ago. Only because she loved the man that Zack had saved and maybe she owed the cad a little of something for that.

Before he left, Matt had embraced her as he usually did and kissed her lightly on the lips.

"I'll see you later," he said, stroking her hair.

She still tasted him while watching him walk away, feeling suddenly confused by her feelings. The helicopter took off and flew off towards L.A. and she turned back to finish the dishes in the kitchen but to her surprise, Lulu and Dylan had already finished washing them and setting them out to dry. She raised her brows, impressed.

"We thought you might want some help so you could relax for a while," Lulu said,

C.J. knew that wasn't the complete truth, because she had seen the two of them casting eyes at each other all day and during the chili party but she smiled anyway. After all, with the dishes done and Bo and Lamar putting the furniture back in the shed, she could kick back in her hot tub under the starry sky and unwind from the eventful day. She hoped that Lulu had at least thought about what she had told her and that it had made an impression on the young girl who was just trying to find her way to adulthood like C.J. had been when she was her age. And as for Matt, she knew that he suspected more than he had let on but had given her space while letting her know he was available if she did need to talk to him.

* * *

Matt gritted his teeth the entire flight back to L.A. while Zack sat barely conscious in his seat, all that liquor catching up to him at last. He had always known that Zack drank and partied hard and C.J.'s dinner party tonight had proven to tame for him. C.J. had shut the door on him when he asked her questions about her history with Zack so that meant that like the accomplished investigator he was, he had to move onto the next witness. But Zack didn't look like he was in any shape to be interrogated by his partner so Matt knew that it would have to wait.

C.J. had thrown a wonderful party and he knew everyone who attended had a great time, the incident with Beulah the runaway pig aside. She had seemed relaxed and happy and totally in her element on the ranch and had clearly attracted the attentions of some of the other male ranchers including that ex-boyfriend of hers, Slade. That guy had made it clear while tending bar for her that he had designs on his best friend and she didn't appear to mind, in fact she had appeared happy in his company. Matt landed the helicopter on the top of his building and woke up Zack who sat up, looking around quickly,

"Are we home yet," he asked.

Matt just shook his head and watched as Zack wobbled out of the helicopter and into the penthouse suite.

"Back at the office," he said, "You can't drive home in your condition."

Zack staggered to the sofa.

"No…I guess I can't…"

He lay down on the sofa and Matt decided to let him sleep it off. Matt walked into his office to check his messages before driving to the beach house. Gloria had called him. Twice. That made him wary because he still didn't know what her angle was besides playing more than footsy with him. And he felt fairly sure that Stanley didn't know what she was doing behind his back.

He passed Zach on the way to the elevator and saw that his friend was fast asleep.

C.J. had her hands on her hips as she watched Lamar try to push the recalcitrant gelding down the trailer ramp while Bo held onto her lead. Earlier that morning when C.J. had ridden out, she had discovered the old timer limping and she decided that it was time that he had his feet checked by a farrier.

"Now Bo just give him a little bit of a tug there," Lamar directed from the gelding's rear.

Bo did that and the gelding decided that it was a great time to kick up his hind legs in response. Lamar just managed to dodge the flying feet.

"Bo, not too much of a pull on that lead," Lamar said, bending over to collect his breath.

"Guys do you need some help," C.J. asked.

They both look at her and shook their heads.

"No C.J.," Bo said, "Everything's fine here. He's just being a little stubborn this morning."

C.J. thought the gelding just didn't like being roped and hauled away from his favorite grazing ground but if everything checked out, he'd be back at his haunt within several hours.

A truck drove up to the barn.

"I think that's him right there," C.J. said.

And sure enough, the farrier left his vehicle and carried his tools over. Like most men of his trade, he had a stocky build and beefy arms. But he hadn't come alone as Slade also left the vehicle and walked on over to greet her.

"Well hello," she said, smiling, "What brings you out here?"

He took off his hat and grinned.

"I'm following Jack here for the day," he said, "to see what this line of work's all about."

Jack walked over the horse that was being held by Bo and slapped the gelding's withers affectionately.

"How you doing old boy," he asked.

C.J. asked the men if they'd like some iced tea and went to pour them some glasses. Slade sipped his appreciatively as the two of them stood in the shade while Jack worked on the gelding who had accepted the inevitable and settled down quickly.

"He's Houston's old horse," she said, "From the time he was a kid."

"He looks pretty good for an old man."

C.J. grinned.

"Matt had him shipped out here," she said, "He's not ridden a lot anymore but he's got the run of the far pastures.

"That's awfully nice of you to take care of his horse," Slade said, "I don't imagine he gets out here much anymore."

C.J. shrugged.

"I'm happy to do it," she said, "and he's been spending most of his time in the city doing his work. That's why he put the ranch on the market."

"Has he forgiven you for buying it?"

She nodded.

"I think so," she said, "I don't think he really had it in his heart to have some stranger buy it. I think it would have broken his heart."

"So you're looking out for him…"

C.J. bristled a little bit at that.

"Houston can take care of himself."

"What about you," he asked her, "I mean I remember when we were going out and well, sometimes it felt like there was a third person in the relationship."

C.J. flushed.

"I don't know what you mean," she said, "I was going out with you and only you."

"Oh I know that," Slade said, "But you're very close with him."

"Of course I am," she said, "We've been best friends since we were kids but that doesn't mean that I was thinking of him while I was with you."

"We didn't make it all that far…"

No they hadn't, she thought. He had called a halt to their relationship just when things were getting serious. Saying that he couldn't compete with her devotion to Matt, and his protective nature where she had been concerned. Matt had been nice enough to him but Slade had a feeling the man was evaluating him when they first met.

"You broke up with me, remember?"

C.J. didn't know why he had brought up the past, which couldn't be changed anyway. She hadn't loved him but she had really liked him and physically..well, he certainly was something to look at. But whatever she had to give him clearly hadn't been enough. Was he having second thoughts, she wondered and if he were, what did she think about that?

He sighed watching her face.

"Yeah I did and I'm not sure I made the right decision…"

* * *

Matt walked into the penthouse suite and into a mob of activity. Murray looked harried as he dashed from one end of the main lobby to the other, issuing orders to some very irritated secretaries who all held documents in their hands. Needing his signature no doubt, Matt thought. And sure enough when the women saw him, they surrounded him.

"Mr. Houston, you've got to sign this form," Pam said.

"Right after you sign the dotted line here," instructed Chris.

Rebecca just smiled and handed him a cup of fresh coffee.

"Why thank you Rebecca," he said, sipping it.

She looked uncomfortable.

"Mr. Houston, I've got some paperwork that…"

"Needs my signature," he said, looking for a pen.

Suddenly three different pens appeared in front of them and he surrendered to his daily routine of lending his name to a variety of contracts and invoice forms. When he had finished and they had vanished as quickly as they had arrived, Matt just stood there looking at Murray who still looked dismayed.

"What's up," Matt asked.

Murray looked up at him.

"Houston Industries stock has risen two points," he said, "but one of your sub firms, Winston Inc is caught up in the merger."

"The security firm?"

Murray nodded.

"One of us is going to have to fly out to Denver to take care of it," he said.

Matt ran his hand through his hair, trying to think for a moment.

"It's going to have to be you," he said, "but I'll call the airport and have the jet gassed up so you can fly in comfort."

Murray smiled.

"I won't leave Denver until I have the merger papers in hand," he promised.

Matt nodded.

"Anything else Murray?"

The president of his conglomerate hesitated.

"There's a woman sitting in your office," he said, "She said she has urgent business with you involving a case."

Damn, Matt just knew that it had to be Gloria. Well, he would just walk into his office and tell her that he had decided not to…

He widened his eyes at the sight that greeted him as he entered his office.

"What are you doing on my desk," he asked.

She blew him a kiss from where she lay on top of his stacks of documents and folders which now sprawled all over the surface.

"Now it took me half a day to sort out all those cases," he said, "I need you to get off of my desk."

She smiled at him.

"I think you need to take the afternoon off and do some relaxing," she said, "For a guy who has a hot tub in his business office, you seem a little bit…tense."

"I'm not at all tense," Matt countered, "I'm just on a tight schedule and I don't have any time to play games."

She sat up straight, scattering papers which Matt watched float to the floor. He sighed and when she saw that, she pouted.

"Aren't you at all attracted to me Mr. Houston," she asked as she started to unbutton her top.

He stuck his hand out.

"Now you hold on there," he said, "The only interaction I'm interested in having you involves business…"

She undid a couple more buttons.

"My interest is business too," she said, "You help clear Stanley and I'll more than make it your while."

He shook his head.

"That's not how I run my business," he said, "If I take your case, it will because of its merits, not because you…I had an…arrangement."

Her mouth hung open and she shook her head.

"I'm very disappointed in you Mr. Houston," she said, "I heard all these stories of your charm with the ladies and here you are turning me down."

He tried to hold onto his patience.

"You are feeling very upset about what's happening to Stanley," he said, "Only a truly amoral man would take advantage of that for a roll in the hay."

She looked at him confused.

"Who said anything about hay," she said, "I'm strictly cosmopolitan. I would be lost out in the boondocks somewhere. I was thinking more along the lines of your office."

He took a deep breath.

"If you button up your shirt," he said, "I will think about taking on Stanley's case."

She seemed to think about it and to his relief, did what he asked.

"There was that so difficult," he said.

She looked at him and burst into tears.

"How am I going to ever live this down," she said, "to be the only woman the infamous Matt Houston refused to do the horizontal tango with?"

Matt felt a wave of confusion hit him.

"How will I ever show my face again," the woman said, weeping.

He handed her a box of Kleenex. She pulled one out and dabbed her eyes.

"I don't know what you've been hearing," he started, "but I don't have sex with my clients. Well not most of them."

She blew her nose.

"What are you saying," she said, "You got engaged to a woman who hired you and she left you at the altar. I read about it in one of those supermarket tabloids."

Elizabeth. The woman who had been the heiress afraid of her own family. He had been drawn to her fiery red hair and her…

"And then there was that woman who you slept with who became upset when you stopped returning her calls…"

Oh yeah, Matt remembered her. She had been a nurse who treated one of his many injuries suffered in his line of work and after having a drink with her, one thing had led to another and his hormones had taken over and the morning after, he had been ready to walk away from her. Only she didn't like that much and became fixated on him because of some traumatic issues with her own family that led her to kidnapping C.J. and luring him into her web.

Matt had loved and lost like most people and had his heart broken a time or two but he didn't feel like getting into that with a woman who was trying to seduce him to get him to help the man he believed that she really loved. He felt irritated with Gloria but realized that was because she had hit a nerve.

"You were voted sexiest millionaire alive," she said, "A man who lives to wine and dine women and sweep them off their feet."

Now exasperation hit him.

"My cousin entered me as a joke."

That revelation surprised her.

"You're kidding right?"

He shook his head.

"I think you've got this image of me and what I represent that's not based on who I really am," he said, "I'm a pretty down home kind of guy who loves good barbecue, the back of a good horse and to help my friends."

She scoffed.

"You're a jetsetter who likes fast cars, even faster women and who flies around playing James Bond all over the world."

Her portrait of him really took him aback. James Bond? He wasn't even partial to martinis and his accent, pure Texan. He put up his hands.

"Now hold on I will think about taking on your case," he said, "but I'll get back to you in a day or two, okay?"

She finally dabbed her eyes one more time and nodded in agreement. And with that, Matt exhaled in relief and went to pour himself a Scotch. Zack had woken up hung over and had told Matt that he had a meeting to attend that morning and that he would be back later. Matt watched him go, shaking his head.

* * *

C.J. sat on the back porch of the ranch house sticking to nothing stronger than iced tea with lemon as she remembered her conversation with Slade. The one where he had told her that he had been mistaken to dump her while he worked as a financial broker in downtown L.A. Now that he had rediscovered himself as a cattle rancher, he looked at her in and liked what he saw. She had been so stunned she hadn't answered him but agreed to give him her cell phone number so he could give her a call if he wanted to go out with her. Biting her lip, she wondered if she were ready to go out with a guy again after her last conversation with Randy, the one where he had accused her…of well something completely impossible.

Still there was definite chemistry which remained between her and Slade and maybe she should give it a shot. After the men had left, she had headed out to Ruth Ann's house to check on her and the woman had told her that the bank had tried to squeeze them through another official sounding letter that told her that she risked foreclosure on her property.

"I'll try to do whatever I can to help you keep your ranch," C.J. said, "but I'm going to need copies of all your payment records and correspondence with the bank."

Ruth Ann had nodded and agreed to get her the information as soon as possible. Something nagged at C.J. about that letter the woman had received. She still wondered if there weren't some scam going on involving the bank and the developer who had been interested in buying up a huge portion of the ranch land in the area.

She had driven back, feeling deeply satisfied with the way things were going. Her phone rang and she looked at it. Matt.

"Hi there pal," she said, "What's up?"

"The company's stock according to Murray," he said, "but that's not why I called."

"So why did you?"

"I'm thinking of flying out to the ranch for a day or two," he said, "Things are getting hectic here."

She paused.

"I thought you took on a couple of new cases," she said, "Are you sure you can leave them?"

"Zack and Roy can handle them for a couple of days," Matt said, "I know you own the ranch now but I can stay in the guest house."

She cleared her throat, not sure how to respond.

"Sure that will be fine," she said, "I'll make sure there are fresh linins for the bed and towels."

"I know this is going to be an imposition on you…"

"No Houston," she said, "I told you it's as much a place for you to be welcome as it was when you owned it."

She felt him smiling on the other end.

"I'll fly in sometime tomorrow," he said, "Depending on the workload."

"I'll be out most of the day," she said, "but Bo and Lamar should both be there so they'll help you get settled."

"Sounds like a plan," he said, "And thanks…"

"No problem," she said hanging up.

The guest house was located about a ¼ mile down the road and was fairly good-sized with one bedroom and bath, not to mention a small kitchen and cozy living room. He would do just fine there, not that she minded having him in the main house. But maybe he had his reasons for maintaining his distance. If she thought it strange that he had just invited himself to visit her, she didn't focus on it. She just really looked forward to seeing him again.

Matt hung up the phone and paused a minute before looking at the email on his computer. He reached for his phone again and placed another phone call that had been on his email. Someone picked up quickly on the other end.

"This is Matt Houston," he said, "So it's true that Marquis Duval has escaped from prison…"


	8. Chapter 8

I've updated this story. I hope you enjoy reading it and thanks for checking it out and the feedback! I've finished the St. Patty's story and will update the others. Also Nichole over at So Cal Writer (link is on my profile somewhere) is working on finishing the next installment of her excellent MH FF story which you should definitely check out and is hosting with others a FF Auction to raise money for a friend. More information on that which includes bidding on a MH FF story is located over at her site.

* * *

C.J. spent the rest of the day getting the guest house ready for Matt, before his arrival. The place didn't need much work but she had sent Bo out shopping to stock the refrigerator with some of Matt's favorite staples and some beer. He had sounded a bit strained on the phone so maybe he was going to spend his time at the ranch getting some much needed rest from the pressures and stress that living in the city could bring. She made up the beds and dusted the furniture, then hung up some new curtains on the windows. After she inspected her work, she headed back to the ranch house.

"You've got company coming," Lulu said, from where she was making a salad for dinner.

C.J. smiled.

"Houston's dropping in tomorrow for a spell," she said, "You met him at the party the other night."

Lulu brightened.

"He's one hot looking guy," she said, "and he seemed pretty nice enough."

C.J. really couldn't disagree with the girl's assessment about her best friend.

"He's a private investigator," she said, "but he's taking some time off to relax from his work."

"And he's coming here," Lulu said, in disbelief, "I mean this is a nice ranch but L.A.'s such a happening city with plenty to do and places to go."

"I think he's looking more for peace and quiet," C.J. said, "and it's more difficult to find that in a big city."

Lulu considered that.

"Okay but why here?"

"This used to be Houston's ranch," C.J. said, "I bought it from him."

"Why did you do that?"

C.J. started slicing some carrots for her side dish.

"Because I loved this place too much to watch it go to a stranger," she said, "Lots of good memories here."

Lulu tossed the salad.

"How long have you known him?"

"Since I was a young girl growing up in Texas," she said, "He's been a part of my life much longer than he hasn't. I couldn't imagine life without him in it."

"Have you and he…"

C.J. looked at the girl, trying to hide her shock at question. Man, Lulu just cut to the chase when it came to interactions between the opposite sexes.

"That's getting a little bit personal," she said, peeling some potatoes to join her carrots.

Lulu ignored her and just hit her with another question.

"Does he have a girlfriend?"

"I don't know," C.J. said, "You'll have to ask him."

Lulu shook her head.

"For being his best friend, you don't seem to know much about him," she said, clearly not impressed.

C.J. sighed, wondering why she was getting into it with a 16 year old girl. What did she care if Matt was currently involved with a woman? She didn't keep track of the women who came and went from his life. Sometimes, he balanced more than one woman in his life at once and other times, well he fell hard and fast for one woman at a time, like had been the case with Elizabeth his most recent fiancée. She had been a nice woman, a bit reserved for C.J.'s taste and she had major issues with Matt's work as an investigator but C.J. knew Matt had loved her. They had tried to make it work and make it down the wedding aisle some months ago while dodging a vengeful psychotic killer but in the end, their incompatible natures had trumped their love for one another. Even after the wedding had been called off, C.J. hadn't believed that they had ended their relationship. Until one day, the line of women began forming at the door to go out with him and the mourning period for his latest failed relationship had ended just like that.

But then she should talk, having survived several treacherous relationships herself. Robert Tyler, the handsome but silver tongued news reporter who had been offered a job that many in his field would have killed for, only he really did. He had returned to L.A. and had swept her off her feet and within six whirlwind weeks, she had been ready to pick up stakes and move across the country with him. Matt had his doubts about Robert's integrity and when he shared them with C.J., she hadn't been ready to accept that her lover was a career criminal. After a huge fight that rattled the penthouse suite, she had threatened to resign from his company. Which she realized a few hours later was stupid because Matt had just been concerned about her. Together with Uncle Roy, they set up a sting that sent Robert off to prison for a long stint and Matt had helped her mend her broken heart. Occasionally she received a letter from Robert begging for her to take him back.

Carl, the sweet businessman she had loved but a mentally disturbed man who harbored an obsession for her had killed Carl one night making it look like an accident but she had known better. At first the police including Lt. Hoyt hadn't believed her until the guy broke into her house one night and she took a shot at him.

Matt and the police had tried to set up a trap for him at her house while she was slumming it at Matt's cabin in the mountains but Christian Dean eluded their dragnet and showed up at the cabin trying to kill her while rambling how they would reunite in the next world. She just thought she'd pass on that and after whacking him with Matt's fishing rod, pushed him off a cliff to his death.

She ticked through a few more of her relationships in her head while Lulu left the kitchen to go set the table for the ranch hands. When she got to Randy her latest boyfriend, she just gave up not wanting to think about it anymore so she put the carrots and potatoes on the stove and started in on the chicken.

* * *

Matt had been briefed by the federal authorities on the escape of Marquis Duval, Sr. the night before. His son, the assassin had also tried to escape but he lacked the cold intellect of his father so guards quickly caught him. They had tried to interrogate him about his father's plans but he zipped his lips and refused to say anything. Just smiled at them and said they would never catch him. Matt knew that the son had been partially right. His father was a crafty and ruthless man who had faked his own death at least once but Matt also knew that he was determined to catch the man.

"Hoyt, he's a dangerous man," Matt said, at the police station, "and I have a feeling he's coming to L.A."

The police lieutenant just looked at him as if he were crazy.

"Houston I know this man came after you and C.J. once," he started.

"He used C.J. to get me to spring his son from jail," Matt said, "and he nearly got away with it too if it hadn't been for…"

Novelli. Matt thought of his old friend living it up in his retirement with his family and helping his mother, Rosa, at her new restaurant on Oahu. At first when Matt had abruptly changed his witness statement which got Duval, jr. released, his best friend had reacted by punching him out by the fountain outside the courthouse.

"Vince Novelli," Hoyt nodded, "Houston, he's been retired from the LAPD for several years and is perfectly happy not to be a cop anymore."

Matt nodded.

"I just now that Duval's got a plan," he said, "He's always got one and I just want to be ready for him in case he decides to pay me a visit."

Hoyt paced inside his own office.

"Houston," he said, "The guy's probably already crossed the border into Mexico and is heading off to his old haunts to recruit another band of terrorists."

Matt knew that could be true but he suspected that the guy had already began his recruiting in prison. After all, he had nothing else to do with his time besides plan his escape and quite possibly his revenge. In his experience, that had happened once, including with crazed millionaire and serial killer, Castanos who had fooled everyone while locked up in a mental ward that he was next to catatonic. From inside the mental ward, the crazed man had instrumented the explosion at his birthday party that nearly took out one of his close friends and the hiring of hit men to come after him. It would be as much of a mistake to underestimate Duval.

"Maybe," Matt said, "but I don't want him coming after me or anyone else so I'm going to do some planning of my own."

"Houston you can't just…"

Mat swung around and started pointing a finger at Hoyt.

"I'm going to do whatever it takes to protect the people I care about," Matt said, "The man hijacked my jet and dragged C.J. and I to some remote island not even on the charts…"

Hoyt nodded.

"I know, I read the reports…"

Matt rubbed his forehead.

"When I tried to escape," he said, "He threatened to have his men shoot C.J. right in front of me if I didn't cooperate with his plan."

Hoyt didn't say anything.

"I'm not giving him any chance to hurt anyone to get at me," Matt said.

"Houston our resources are strapped," Hoyt said finally, "but I'll send an extra patrol car by your house and those of your family and friends."

Matt sighed. He could hire his entire security team to guard the homes of his friends, even make them as secure as Ft. Knox but Duval would find a way to slip through them if he chose to do it. He had left a message on his uncle's phone but he hadn't picked it up yet. The feeling of helplessness threatened but he pushed it away. Duval would not get the better of him, he had already decided but he had to take steps to protect those he loved from the man's wrath.

"Thanks Hoyt," he said.

His friend looked at him.

"Now if you're going to go off and do something crazy, maybe it's better if I don't know about it."

Matt shook his head.

"I'm going to protect those people I care about," he said, "That's all you or the department need to know."

Hoyt didn't think he liked the sound of that.

Matt figured that Roy and Will would be safe if they stayed where they were and Matt dispatched a security team to protect them. After all, his uncle with his background would be more than capable of remaining below Duval's radar.

Of course, his uncle didn't like the plan which had him and Will hiding out of town one bit.

"Listen Uncle Roy," Matt tried to explain, "I don't want anything to happen to you and this will give you the perfect opportunity to spend even more time alone with Will."

Roy sighed.

"It's been really great making up for lost time with my son," he admitted, "but I'd have a hard time living with myself if I let anything happen to my brother's boy."

Matt grew silent, hearing the concern in his uncle's voice.

"I can take care of myself," he said, "It will help if I know my family's safe."

"What about C.J.?"

"I haven't told her yet," he said, "She's been out at the ranch determined to revive it and if I tell her she needs to come back to L.A. where I can keep an eye on her, she's going to refuse to leave the ranch."

"She knows firsthand how dangerous Duval can be," Roy pointed out.

"Yes she does," Matt said, "but she also has shown more determination than I've seen in here for a while to fix up my…her ranch."

Matt knew his uncle smiled on the other end of the phone.

"Then why don't you take a few days and spend them out there," Roy said, "I'm sure she won't mind. She'll be glad to see you and then you can keep an eye on her there."

Matt hedged.

"She might feel like I'm taking over," he said, "and then she'll keep worrying about me with Duval out on the loose."

"She cares about you Matlock," Roy reasoned, "Of course she's going to be concerned about keeping you safe."

"Unless I ask to come out to the ranch and then wait until I get there to tell her," Matt said, "I don't really want to give her news like this over the phone."

"That might work," Roy said, "as long as you do tell her."

So after that conversation, Matt had called C.J. asking her if he could come out to her ranch for a couple of days of rest and relaxation. She had seem happy about that and he decided the news about Duval's escape could wait a little while.

* * *

C.J. didn't have much time to think about Matt's arrival the next morning. Lamar got her up early to tell her that he had spotted some strange horses grazing just over their property line in the far meadow where the fence hadn't been repaired yet. Slade's ranch adjoined hers so she figured they were his yearlings that had come over for a visit and a leisurely meal. She left a message on his cell phone and then saddled up Chelsea to go ride out with Bo to gather them up and herd them back over and then repair the fence.

Only the yearlings hadn't wanted to budge from the patch of grass they had discovered so she and Bo had to use a couple of old tricks to finally nudge them along, right into the path of a skunk who didn't like that much and showered the lot of them with a perfume shower.

"Ewwwwwweeeee," Bo yelled, taking off his hat and waving it.

The odor proved to be so noxious that C.J. felt like passing out. The yearlings took off and headed back where they belonged. The skunk took one baleful look at them and scampered off among the brush. She wished she could take off her clothes but it wouldn't do to stand out here repairing a fence in just her lingerie and boots. But the smell…a wave of dizziness hit her.

"Let's just get this fence fixed up," she finally told Bo, "then we'd better get back and rinse this smell off of us."

"We're going to have to burn our clothes," he said, "and use up every tomato we have in the garden to whip up a bath."

The thought of dipping herself in a vat of mashed up tomatoes and vinegar didn't stir much enthusiasm in C.J.

"Damn, Houston's arriving sometime today," she said, "I don't want to have to stand downwind of him to greet him."

"We'll get this done so you'll have plenty of time to clean up before he comes," Bo said, "He'll be late anyway since Murray won't let him leave the office."

C.J. figured that would probably be the case but she tried to hurry to fix the fence anyway, which only succeeded in more splinters getting past her gloves and her dropping one plank of wood on her foot.

She shook her head while she removed her boot, to check her foot which fortunately appeared perfectly fine. C.J. thought she had reached her limit in what could go wrong today and hoped she wasn't wrong in her assessment. Then she heard some hollering in the distance and knew she'd received an answer to that.

* * *

Zack just looked at Matt as they sat in the restaurant finishing up their breakfast.

"You've got to be kidding," Zack said, "You're going to take off just like that."

Matt nodded.

"The man's a ruthless killer and I'm not letting him take another crack at C.J. or me."

"Matt, she can take care of herself," Zack said, "and you can't leave your caseload right now. We've just agreed to handle two more cases."

"No Zack," Matt corrected, "You agreed to take those cases and then told me after the fact."

"You were busy," Zack said, "I was just trying to help you but if you take off on some fool notion that C.J. needs protecting from some terrorist who's probably halfway to South America…"

Matt just looked at his friend, who sipped from his Bloody Mary and shook his head at the news he had given him.

"I'll be out at the ranch," he said, "I've called several clients on some of our active cases and you can handle the remainder after you put the two new ones on hold."

Zack looked exasperated.

"I can't do that," he said, "I promised those clients."

Matt began to lose his patience.

"I think you need to remember who runs this agency," he said, "and that's me."

Zack nodded.

"I'm just doing this to help you," he said, "Get some more upscale clients and start bringing in more cash."

"I'm fine with my agency the way it is, the way C.J. and I built it," Matt said, "I don't care about being upscale or having a fancier clientele."

Zack shook his head.

"I never understood that part of you Houston," he said, "I mean helping people is a noble pursuit but don't you want your business to grow and make a name for yourself?"

"My corporation is in the Fortune 100," Matt explained, "So I've proven I can be a successful businessman and I've been on the cover of more magazines than I can count but the agency is something that is more important to me than how much money it can earn."

"I still think…"

"You're allowed to disagree," Matt said, "but this is how I choose to run my business and I'll be leaving it in your hands for several days."

"You'd better be careful around C.J.," Zack said, "She's liable to throw something at you or pour beer on your pants."

"Not unless she has good reason," Matt said, "And speaking of that, how did you wind up with beer on your pants?"

Zack hedged, anger filling him.

"She got upset…because I turned her down," he said, "Houston, she's been coming onto me since I've been back."

Matt just looked at him.

"She's giving you a hard time," he asked, "because you won't go out with her?"

"Exactly," Zack said, "and I like the old girl but she's really not my type."

"Not your type," Matt repeated, "I see, so she came on to you at her chili party and you told her you weren't interested and then she threw her beer at you."

Zack nodded.

"Something like that," he said, "She has a side of her that's just stubborn."

"I know that," Matt said, "but I haven't seen that about you. This is just news to me that this has been going on all of this time and I haven't caught wind of it."

Zack sighed.

"I've tried to let her down easy," he said, "but after she threw that beer…I didn't know how to make it clear to her I just wasn't interested."

Matt just stared at his old buddy for a long time after listening to him.

"Why don't you just walk out on her and not come back," he said, "Seeing as how that's what worked for you last time."

Zack looked up at him in shock.

"What…what are you talking about?"

"She was younger than you were and you took advantage of that and her feelings," Matt said, "Then when she thought she might be pregnant with your child, you left her high and dry to deal with that all by herself instead of being the man you were supposed to be and standing by her."

Zack just stared at him.

"What was I supposed to do," he said, "You know how women can be. How could I be sure it was even my kid?"

Matt's eyes flashed dangerously and Zack was smart enough to know that Matt could wipe the floor with him and back again if he chose to do so.

"I should kick your ass to Texas and back to teach you some manners on how to treat women," Matt said finally, "But I don't think it would do much good at this point."

"Okay maybe I made a mistake…"

"Damn straight you did," Matt said, "and now you'd better pick up your things and get out of my office before I change my mind."

Zack just knew that his long-time friend couldn't be serious.

"But Matt after all we've been through together…"

Matt's expression didn't change.

"Get out…now. I don't think I ever want to see you again."

Zack knew he couldn't argue with what he saw on Matt's face so he picked up his bag and started walking to the door. Still he turned around to look at them.

"Before I walk out," he said, "Who told me about C.J. and me…"

"You just did," Matt said, "I was following a hunch, part of being a small-time investigator."


	9. Chapter 9

The next part of this FF story is up! Life is getting interesting on the ranch. I hope you enjoy reading it and thanks for the comments!

* * *

When Matt landed the helicopter outside the ranch house, he looked around but didn't see any sign of C.J. or even Bo or Lamar for that matter. A trace of fear sliced through his heart but he kept it at bay as he stepped down from his helicopter and started looking around. Relax, he told himself, Duval had only been at large for a little more than a day and hadn't had enough time to come to the ranch if that had indeed been his plan. But if so, where the hell was everybody?

Suddenly he heard the sound of splashing come from the direction of the swimming pool and the loud squealing of what sounded like a…pig. Relief hit him as he realized that Beulah must have gotten loose again and the others were busy trying to round her up. He walked towards the pool where he used to swim laps in daily and there was Beulah paddling around in the pool with Bo and Lamar trying to grab hold of her.

"Now get a hold of her," Bo ordered Lamar, "before she slips away again."

Lamar sighed, spitting out water.

"I darn tried that already," he said, "She's too busy taking her bath to pay us much mind."

Matt stood by the edge of the pool.

"Do you two need any help," he asked.

Both ranch hands looked up at Matt and smiled broadly.

"Why hello there Houston," Bo said, "It's just Beulah had it in her mind that she wanted to go for a swim."

"I can see that."

"We'll get her on out of here mighty quick…"

Matt looked around.

"Where's C.J. anyway?"

His question was answered when he looked up and saw her standing there covered head to toe with what looked like grime and half the grass from the neighboring pastures.

"Well C.J. just look at you," he said, beginning to approach her.

She switched her weight from one foot to the other.

"I've been quite busy," she said in response.

Amusement sparkled in his eyes and a smile formed on his lips.

"I can see that," he said, "What happened…I mean besides Beulah?"

She shook her head, flinging off bits of grass.

"You don't want to know."

He began to approach her and she threw up her hands.

"Not one step closer Houston…"

He looked at her puzzled, but stopped in his tracks. Then an odor caught his nose that seemed awfully familiar.

"Is that what I think it is," he asked.

She nodded.

"We got sprayed on the far pasture when we were herding some of Slade's yearlings," she said.

Suddenly the splashing increased in intensity behind both of them.

"Beulah, stop carrying on like that," Bo shouted, "They're won't be any water left in the pool."

The 500 pound sow didn't seem to care a bit as she played happily in the water, keeping both ranch hands at bay. C.J. just shook her head again and jumped in the pool to help Bo and Lamar get Beulah out of the pool. She swam to where the pig was and then tread water.

"Come on Beulah," she said, softly, "I've got some fresh apple pie in the kitchen."

Of course she had just told a lie but she figured by the time Beulah figured it out, she would be out of the pool and back on dry land. But Beulah just wasn't buying it and kept slurping up the water with her mouth and spraying it everywhere.

"Damn pig," Bo muttered after she blasted him in the face, "I'll stuff an apple in your mouth and serve you for dinner by sundown."

C.J. chided him.

"Shush now," she said, "You're going to hurt her feelings."

"She aint got feelings," Bo said, "I named her after the ex-wife for a reason."

Matt moved closer to the pool.

"Would you like me to help you," he said.

Bo shook his head.

"No reason for you to get your clothes wet," he said, "Unless we could herd Beulah over to you and then hoist her up and you could just grab her by the scruff of the neck."

Matt frowned.

"I don't think she's got one."

Bo shrugged.

"Well just grab her front end."

Matt nodded and the three people in the pool began persuading Beulah to move towards the shallow end. Then they grabbed hold of her hind end and middle and tried to hoist her out of the pool so that Matt could grab her. But Beulah wiggled her body and flung people aside. Matt tried to grab her, slipped and fell right into the pool. Now with four humans splashing around in the pool in their clothes, Beulah took one look at them and swam to the end of the pool before scampering up the steps and out of the pool. She trotted off to the barn, leaving some frustrated people in her wake.

"She did that on purpose," Bo claimed.

Lamar chuckled.

"Just like the other Beulah would have," he said.

Matt looked at C.J. who looked like most of the grime and pasture had been rinsed off of her anyway. She smiled at him ruefully.

"I'm a mess," she said, "but I did fix up the guest house for you before all this happened."

He reached out and stroked her hair off of her face.

"You are really a sight for sore eyes," he said.

She started to chuckle at that but something stopped her.

"So are you."

Everyone got out of the pool and C.J. excused herself and went off to take a quick shower and change her clothes. Bo and Lamar went to make sure that Beulah had made it to the barn and settled herself back in her pen. Matt took his bags and walked to the guest house and after he stepped inside the door, he saw that indeed C.J. had been busy fixing it up. He didn't unpack his clothes but went to the kitchen and inside the refrigerator, he found some beer. He pulled out a bottle and drank some of it before heading off to change his own clothes to head back to the ranch house.

* * *

Matt made it back to the ranch house afterward and C.J. had still been in her bedroom, his old room, getting dressed. He had taken his beer and sat on the back porch drinking it while taking in the peaceful surroundings. He had only been here a couple of hours and he already felt much better than he had when he left the city. No longer feeling the weight of his conversation with Zack on his shoulders. He knew he had done the right thing but it was always difficult to sever a friendship even if for the right reasons. But after learning how his long time friend had treated C.J. years ago, he couldn't forgive him for his callous attitude towards her. When he had returned home from his vacation that summer, he hadn't known about that the relationship between C.J. and Zack had gone that route, but he had detected a new layer of wariness in her demeanor. He had never figured out where that subtle change in her had come from but now he knew.

Nothing wary about her now as she had seemed genuinely happy to see him and he had felt a pang of guilt strike him that he hadn't told her about Duval's escape from prison and his desire to protect her in case Duval came out to their neck of the woods for revenge. Now that he had arrived, he had decided not to let her stray too far away from him…just in case but how would he sell that sudden closeness to the person who knew him better than anyone else did?

Suddenly he heard the noise of an approaching truck and saw that one had arrived and parked not too far away from where he sat drinking his beer. Caution ruled his response until he figured out who had arrived. Slade stepped out of the truck and Matt felt some level of relief. That it wasn't Duval or one of his terrorists out to commit mayhem but then again, why was Slade dropping by so casually? When Slade saw Matt, he smiled and approached him.

"You're Matt Houston," he said, "I remember you from the party the other night."

Matt nodded slowly.

"You're Slade, the guy who was tending bar," he said, "C.J.'s ex-boyfriend from your years as a financial broker in the city."

"You've got me," he said, "But I have to say I love this rural life. I don't think I could ever go back to my old life."

Matt couldn't blame him. He felt the same way whenever he left the frantic pace of life in L.A. to come out here or anywhere else off the beaten path. Still, he wondered just how much of a regular fixture this guy was in C.J.'s life living just down the road from her.

"What are you doing here," he asked.

Slade looked at him and Matt sensed he was sizing him up behind his congenial attitude.

"I'm here to help pay for the damage to the fence," he said, "Some of my yearlings busted through it this morning to get at some grass."

Matt shrugged.

"That can happen," he said, "C.J.'s just gotten out of the shower and is getting dressed. We're getting ready to have dinner."

At least he assumed that dinner was somewhere on the itinerary. He didn't actually know what plans C.J. had made for this evening. Slade raised his brows but smiled again.

"Then I won't be a bother," he said, "I'll just leave the check for her…"

"What do you mean that you're a bother," a feminine voice said.

Both men looked up and saw C.J. approach, her hair still damp, while dressed in jeans and a tee-shirt. Matt did a double take thinking that her clothes sure flattered her figure. He looked over at Slade and noticed he seemed interested in her as well.

"C.J., Hi," Slade said, "I just came here to drop off my share of the money to pay for that new fencing."

"Don't worry about it Slade," she said, "We already had plenty of leftover lumber and the guys and I fixed it right up quick. Not without a few interruptions of course."

"It doesn't seem right to make you pay for all of it," she said.

C.J. thought about it.

"Well you could make it up by joining us for dinner tonight," she said, "I've got baked chicken and vegetables plenty of them and only five of us to eat them."

He looked at her, pleasantly surprised and then nodded.

"That'd be real nice, C.J."

She smiled and then looked over at her best friend.

"That's okay with you Houston isn't it?"

He nodded. Why wouldn't it be?

* * *

With that settled, C.J. left them both and returned to the kitchen to see if the chicken had been cooked long enough. Bo and Lamar had helped her dig up one of their old family recipes, one of the few that didn't involve frying anything or stirring it for hours near the barn. Lulu had set the table nicely and C.J. had put some wild flowers she had collected in a vase as a centerpiece. She hadn't been sure where this domestic side of hers was coming from, but when it didn't unnerve her, she kind of liked it. Both men appeared to appreciate it too when they entered and saw the spread.

"Did you cook all this C.J.," Matt asked.

She nodded happily.

"Now don't make fun of my cooking skills Houston," she said, "I know I've burned entire chickens and even sides of beef and venison in the past but I've really been working at my culinary skills."

"It looks delicious C.J.," Slade said.

"I wasn't going to tease you C.J.," Matt said, a bit taken aback, "I was going to tell you that I couldn't wait to try it."

She smiled at both of them.

"Then let's sit down and dig in," she said, "Bo and Lamar are still washing up."

"I thought Beulah was going to be dinner for a while there," Matt said, as they sat down.

C.J. passed the plate of chicken around.

"I don't think Bo would ever do such a thing," she said, "He just says that to try to keep Beulah in line. She's a bit headstrong."

Matt's mouth curved into a smile.

"Sounds like someone I know."

Slade scooped some roasted potatoes on his plate.

"This is a really great meal," he said, "I haven't tasted chicken this good in a long time."

C.J. looked pleased, really pleased Matt noticed. He wondered how interested she was in Slade. The guy certainly appeared interested in rekindling the old flame between the two of them. Matt just didn't trust him, he may be a rancher now but he still permeated some of that city slickness that had served him well in the financial corridors of Beverly Hills and similar haunts. Wait a minute here, what C.J. did with her personal life was her own business, he reminded himself.

"I think I'll have more of those potatoes," Matt said, "They really are roasted to perfection."

C.J. handed him the plate, throwing him a strange look.

"The carrots are so juicy," Slade raved, spooning more on his plate next to his roasted potatoes.

Matt agreed.

"The…"

She stopped eating and folded her arms.

"Hold it," she said, "What; did I walk into the judging room of a chili cook off or something? I know my food's not going to appear in any five star restaurant."

Bo and Lamar who had dressed up in their best jeans and shirts chose that point to walk in the dining room and sit down, helping themselves happily to the food.

"How's Beulah," C.J. asked.

"Yeah how is she," Matt seconded.

Bo and Lamar looked at each other and then at the two of them.

"She's just fine," he said, "She's tuckered out from her adventure and is sound asleep."

C.J. nodded.

"You two must be really hungry after all that excitement," she said, "There's plenty of food."

"And conversation," Lulu said, "with the two men here trying to impress C.J. by raving about her cooking."

Both men chose that time to wipe their mouths with their napkins. Bo and Lamar looked at each other.

"Her cooking's not bad," Bo said, "We've been busy teaching her everything we know."

C.J. put her hand over her face. Slade looked over at her.

"C.J., are you going to meet with ranchers who've contacted you tomorrow?"

She nodded.

"That's what I've been planning," she said, "We've got to go over everyone's mortgage letters from the bank."

"I think that something doesn't smell right with what the bank's doing," he said, "and the timing of these letters."

C.J. finished eating her potatoes.

"I agree Slade," she said, "but if that's the case, we've got to find out what their real plans are and prove it possibly in court."

Slade sighed.

"Do you think it will get that far?"

She shrugged.

"It's something we've got to keep in mind while we try to avoid it."

Matt looked at the both of them.

"Do you mind if I tag along," he said, "C.J. and I have handled a lot of these cases together."

"I don't have a problem with it," Slade said.

C.J. looked at Matt for a moment and he knew that something he had said had triggered suspicion within her. She was damn sharp and he had to be careful but he couldn't afford to let her go off by herself until Duval had been caught. Guilt nagged at him for not telling her about his escape but he had to find the right time to do that. She looked so happy and well…so relaxed in her beauty that he couldn't bear to worry her until he absolutely had to do so.

"Me neither," C.J. said finally, still looking at him.

Bo and Lamar then started to regal everyone at the table with their funny stories of their years spent ranching back in Texas and now in California, the state they couldn't seem to put permanently in the rear view mirror of their truck. C.J. watched them, smiling at their enthusiasm and their sheer love for this kind of life. She knew she had done the right thing when she called them up and invited them to come help her restore the ranch. Actually she had stopped just short of begging them to come back but they seemed more than happy to pack up their things and come back to the golden state. Even the fact that she had bought the ranch from Matt hadn't thrown them much. And since they had arrived, they'd had a lot of fun even while working hard from sunrise to sunset.

Matt looked happier than she had seen him in a while and she knew he warmed up to wearing jeans and a work shirt over a pinstriped suit or tuxedo. She hoped he would enjoy his time at the ranch, relaxing in the crisp air and sunshine and perhaps even doing some fishing in the lake. It surprised her that he had volunteered so quickly to help her on her work with the local ranchers on keeping their spreads but perhaps it shouldn't have. Helping her a bit was fine but she just had to make sure he didn't exert himself too much. After all, he was here to have fun and recharge his batteries before returning to his life in the city.

Matt looked over at his best friend, who appeared deep in thought even as she smiled at Bo and Lamar's stories. Her mahogany hair had settled around her shoulders in gentle curls and her eyes shone brightly. Her full mouth curved generously into laughter at one particular part of Bo's story and his throat caught for a second. He reached for his glass of water.

"That's the funniest thing I've heard all week," Slade said, "I had a horse like that once when I was growing up in Montana that I would swear was as smart as a human."

"Oh Hardtack was crafty all right," Bo continued, "but he wasn't all that smart."

C.J.'s eyes danced.

"Oh Lamar tell the story about how that horse threw you at the rodeo in Abilene."

Matt nodded.

"I'd like to hear it again."

So Lamar started telling it, showing off his amazing gift of recall when it came to describing events down to the smallest detail as everyone sat back and listened.

C.J. walked Slade back to his truck after dinner thanking him for coming. He turned around to face her.

"I'd like to do it again sometime," he said, quietly.

She patted him on the arm, nodding.

"Sure thing," she said, "I'll see you tomorrow."

He nodded to her and then got back in his truck to drive away. Matt watched him go too and he watched C.J. wondering what she thought about her ex-boyfriend. Wondering how he was going to tell her that a deranged terrorist might be coming after them. Wondering when his feelings towards her had begun to change….


	10. Chapter 10

Another installment of this latest FF story is ready for reading! I hope you like it and thanks for the feedback.

* * *

C.J. had left the dishes for Bo and Lamar to clean up and had changed into her swim suit to sit in the Jacuzzi with her glass of wine and enjoy the warm bubbling water after a strenuous day. She loved to look up at the stars which carpeted the dark sky and the moon which tonight bore only a thin slice of itself. Whenever she looked up there, she felt much smaller and insignificant which wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Dinner had gone well, her chicken had turned out tender, Bo and Lamar had entertained everyone with their stories and she had enjoyed watching the interplay between Matt and Slade during the meal. The two men had gotten along well enough but the looks they had thrown each other during the discussion , they told a different story. What was the matter with the two of them? She had felt like she had been a student in a culinary class the way they had gone on about her cooking. Still, it had been nice to be the center of their attention even though it was a bit unnerving.

Her phone rang and she picked it up and found out that it was her friend Sheila.

"What's up in the boondocks," her friend asked.

Sheila had always been one to get to the point and she was very much a city girl whose idea of roughing it was bringing her own toothbrush to a five-star hotel. Still, the two of them had been tight since C.J. had moved to L.A. and they had met at a popular restaurant.

"I've been so busy fixing this place up," C.J. said, "I haven't had much time to get into trouble."

Sheila laughed.

"I'll bet," she said, "So how long are you going to stay away from us?"

"I'll be back to L.A. eventually," C.J. said, "I just need to finish fixing up the ranch and I've been helping some of the other ranchers out here with their bank."

Sheila sighed.

"I guess we're just going to have to do without you but there's an amazing jazz group on the club in Malibu," she said.

"Tempting," C.J. said, "Maybe they'll come back to L.A. someday."

"So how are…things?"

C.J. smiled.

"They're doing fine," she said, "I've got Slade as a neighbor. Remember him?"

"Oh yeah, wasn't he a Beverly Hills stockbroker who told you that it wasn't you it was him before breaking up with you?"

C.J. didn't really needed the reminder but she knew that her friend had recapped it pretty accurately.

"Well he's gotten out of the financial brokerage business and has bought himself a ranch," she said, "He's raising horses and some cattle. In fact, some of his horses wandered onto my property…"

"And he had to mosey on over to pick them up," Shelia said, "Nice work C.J."

C.J. rolled her eyes.

"What," she said, "You think I sabotaged my own fencing to lure them in so I could then lure him over?"

"Hey whatever works," Sheila said, "the dating game is so difficult these days. A woman's got to do what she's got to do."

"Maybe that's your philosophy," C.J. said, "but I'm not looking for a relationship with him…at least not at the moment. I could however change my mind because I have to say the jeans and leather vest look really suits him."

"Wait until you see him in chaps and wearing old boots before you make your decision," Sheila advised.

C.J. laughed.

"I'll keep that in mind."

Sheila paused.

"How's Matt," she said, "Doesn't he get lonely now that you're not hanging around that nice penthouse suite?"

"He's out at the ranch actually," C.J. said, "City life got to him so he's come here to relax."

"Nice try," Sheila said, "But knowing you, you'll put him to work one way or another."

C.J. protested.

"No he's here strictly to kick back and take it easy," she said, "He sounded tense on the phone the other day and he's not really been acting like himself."

"What do you mean," Sheila said, "Do tell….

* * *

Matt had sat on the porch sipping a beer that he pulled out of his refrigerator. The brand was his favorite and C.J. had been thoughtful to keep the refrigerator stocked so he could enjoy it. But then she looked out for him in so many ways just as she always had since he had known her. He looked up at the sky, enjoying how many starts were visible away from the lights of the city and he listened to the sounds of animals scurrying around in the nearby bushes. Of course, he had kept a part of himself on high alert, listening for anything strange, any noise that seemed out of place out in the rural environment of the ranch. Somewhere out there, Duval roamed freely having escaped from his prison cell and Matt had no idea where he was or what plans he would be carrying out. Hoyt could be right. Duval could be out of the country already using connections he surely had in the federal government to slip away undetected, as easily as he had escaped from a maximum security penitentiary.

Right now he could be recruiting his next terrorist cell, his next small army to carry out assassinations and bombings for a price.

"Anything can be negotiated," the man had informed him after C.J. and he had been abducted right out of his airplane and brought under gunpoint to Duval. In that case, it became clearly that what was under negotiation had been C.J.'s life. And it had worked, Matt had agreed at some point to go free Duval's son from jail by recanting his own eyewitness testimony. Only to find out that the grand plan included him being killed before making it back to the island to rescue C.J. If he hadn't recruited Novelli's help….well things might have turned out a lot differently.

He shook his head at that memory determined not to repeat it. Which is why he had taken measures to keep his family safe including C.J. though he hadn't told her that yet.

* * *

"Houston's doing well enough," C.J. said, "but he's being really cautious about something. I don't know maybe he's got a case that's bothering him."

"He's a man that really believes in what he's doing," Sheila said, "I know he's the best investigator in L.A. He sure helped me with my case."

Sheila had hired Matt to search for her missing father and Matt had found him, reuniting the two of them for the first time in a decade.

"I'm not sure he likes Slade all that much either," C.J. said, "or maybe he found out I poured beer in Zack's lap at the chili party."

"Say what C.J.," Sheila said, "You've been very busy with the opposite sex but if you want to attract them, throwing beer at them is probably not going to do it."

C.J. scowled.

"I have no intention of attracting Zack," she said, "Been there done that. He made a move on me and I told him where to take it in a manner of speaking."

"Then he must have done something to deserve it," Sheila said.

"Oh he did," C.J. said, "but it's water under the bridge as long as he treats Matt right."

"Ever the loyal friend," Sheila said.

C.J. bristled at her words.

"We've been best friends for years," she said, "Of course I'm going to look out for him."

"Okay that's fine," Sheila said, "But you've been watching him with other girls and he would be quite a catch you know."

"I'm not interested in catching anyone," C.J. said, "I came out here to work on myself for a while."

"Yeah right girlfriend," Shelia said, "Famous last words before the top legal eagle in L.A. proper makes her move…and maybe Slade's up for some rekindling of the old flame."

"Maybe Slade's not interested in anything serious," C.J. said "Though he did ask for my phone number."

"Well that's a start," Shelia said, "There's no reason you shouldn't see any action while isolating yourself from the big city and doing this ranching thing…"

* * *

Matt had felt restless on his porch so he decided to get up and do a sweep of the immediate area around the buildings just to make sure that no one was hiding out, waiting to strike. He knew it was highly unlikely that Duval or any of his gang were anywhere near the ranch but he felt better caution than regret. The night air had begun to chill a bit so he slipped on his leather jacket and began to walk around the open space which appeared to have settled down for the night. He walked towards the barn and heard some activity inside of it so he opened the door and walked inside of it. The horses had settled quietly for the night in their respective stalls and Matt saw a few barn cats weaving in and out of them, looking for some mice to dine on.

Suddenly he looked up and saw Bo.

"I was just making sure the horses were okay," Bo said, "I heard something near the barn. I think it might have been a coyote."

Matt's brows rose. He had always heard that the critters roamed in these parts but he hadn't heard any howling like you usually did when they were running about the countryside.

"I haven't seen any," he said, "but it's better to be on the safe side and keep the smaller animals inside at night."

Bo nodded.

"We've been doing that," she said, "Especially with the horses."

Matt looked around the barn.

"This place has been really fixed up," he said, "I shouldn't have let it run down."

Bo shrugged.

"You were busy doing other things."

Yeah Matt had kept himself very busy with his increasing caseload with his investigative agency and from not having been completely able to sever his involvement with his conglomerate. Sure Murray kept it running on a day to day basis but that still left many challenges for him to deal with not to mention a lot of paperwork to sign whenever he stepped foot in or out of his office. His secretaries were more persistent than most of his dates but he wouldn't have anyone else working for him and he always remembered that even when he snuck out the side entrance when he wished to avoid them.

"I guess I'll let you go Bo," he said, "But if you notice anything strange, or out of place, let me know, okay?"

Bo looked up at him startled.

"Are you expecting any trouble Houston?"

Matt didn't say anymore, realizing he had said enough to trigger his old friend's instincts.

"I'm not going and looking for any," he answered, realizing that it wasn't much of one but it would have to do.

* * *

"I love this ranching thing," C.J. protested to her friend, "I work hard from sunup to sundown and my muscles ache and I've got splinters in my hands but I really feel good at the end of the day."

"But you can get all that and more just from being a lawyer in the big city," Sheila pointed out.

"I don't know if that's what I ever wanted," C.J. said, "I just want to slow the pace of my life down for a little while and enjoy it."

"What does Matt think of all this slowing down?"

C.J. hesitated.

"He's fine with it," she said, "He understands that this is what I need right now and he supports me."

"But he's acting all territorial around Slade…"

"I don't think that's it," C.J. said, "I'm not sure what's going on with him right now."

* * *

Matt left the barn and headed up to the ranch house. The lights still shone inside and Matt figured that C.J. was unwinding before heading off to bed. After the day she had just had, he felt she was more than entitled. After all when he had arrived, she had been a sight, covered with mud and pasture grass and he had to stand downwind from her because of her run in with a skunk but she had still been beautiful. When had that happened, he thought? He always thought she had been a pretty girl but more of the girl next door than the woman who had stood in front of him. Slade had certainly noticed her while they had been eating the dinner she had cooked for them. Then again, that wasn't any of his business what C.J. did in her own time. He had come here to make sure that if Duval headed in this direction that he wouldn't reach her. At least that was mostly why he had left L.A. to come out to the ranch, as he had really missed having her around at the office. She hadn't been working with him on many cases since Zack had joined the agency but had kept her distance. At least know he knew why she had done that. She didn't know what he had done with Zack anymore than she knew about Duval's prison break and he realized that he had been keeping her in the dark about a few important things. But he really didn't want to worry her after seeing how happy and relaxed she had looked when he had arrived.

He heard her voice from somewhere in the swimming pool area while he approached the main house and figured she must have decided to sit a spell in the Jacuzzi before heading off to bed. He had done the same thing and could swear to the recuperative powers of the swirling water against his aching muscles and in some cases, spirit.

"I'm not sure what's going on with him right now," he heard C.J. say probably on the phone to one of her friends from the city, "I just know he was acting strange tonight. I haven't seen him act like that before…"

Matt walked closer and the voice got louder.

"Well yeah I know he's a great looking guy," she said, "Truth be told, he does make me weak in the knees sometimes but I've just broken up with a guy who told me I was too hung up on him and I know he's just wrong about me…"

_Hung up on a guy? _

Matt had wondered why C.J. had broken up with Randy after things seemed to be going well between the two of them, well enough so that they had gone away together for a weekend in Monterey. But had been broken up by the time they had returned from the long drive back to L.A. C.J. really hadn't told him what had happened with that relationship, in fact she had declined to talk about it much at all. So C.J. was hung up on…Slade? The guy that she had fancied about a year ago until he had broken it off with her?

"I don't think that would work," C.J. said, "You can lure a horse to water but it's not right to lasso him up to make him drink."

Matt's brows rose again. Now here was a side of C.J. he had never seen or perhaps for a better word, heard before. Did she…no it must be a figure of speech. What was it called, a metaphor? He backed up and stumbled over a stump of brush he hadn't seen, just outside the pool area.

"Excuse me Sheila, I think I just heard something…"

Matt got up from the ground where he had fallen.

"Maybe it's a really big raccoon or something," C.J. said, "I don't hear it now."

Matt continued walking until he reached the pool area and saw C.J. sitting with her wine glass in the Jacuzzi with her cell phone in her hand. Her hair looked damp and curled around her shoulders and she smiled as she talked on the phone.

"I'm not sure I want that anyway," she said, then looked up, "Oh Houston's just arrived….Sheila says hi, Houston…I'll get back to you. Bye now…"

He nodded back.

"Sorry to disturb you," he said, "I was feeling restless so I just decided to take a walk and decided to stop on by and see how you were doing."

"I'm doing great Houston," she said, "Would you like to join me?"

He looked at her.

"Relax Houston," she said, "I'm wearing a swim suit. The water's really nice and it's a beautiful night."

He paused.

"I think I'll take a rain check," he said, "It's been a long day and I think I'll hit the hay. Just be sure you lock up tonight."

She looked at him like he was crazy.

"Houston, we're not in the city right now," she said, "That's one of the reasons why I left it. I got tired of locking myself inside a fortress every night."

He sighed.

"It doesn't hurt to be safe…"

She looked at him critically.

"Is there something you're not telling me?"

He looked at her for a long moment, thinking that this was just when he should tell her the news about Duval's escape but somehow looking at her, he just couldn't do it. She deserved many things including a few minutes of peace and security without having to worry about the danger that too often worked its way into both of their lives.

"Everything's fine…"

She smiled and then wished him goodnight and he walked back to the guest house, feeling the heaviness of deception weighing on his heart.


	11. Chapter 11

Hi, here's another installment of this FF story. I hope you enjoy it and thanks for reading and the feedback!

* * *

"Don't you dare," C.J. told Matt as she headed out to the barn to saddle up Chelsea and head out to finish inspecting some fencing on the other end of her property. If she got started this morning, she would finish in time for her to then head out to meet with the ranchers. Then she would be free for the rest of the evening and could come back and finish painting the shed out back that Bo and Lamar had finished working on.

Painting relaxed her. She had never been much of an artist but she could have worked as the other kind of painter for a living if she chose to do so. On one of her summer breaks, she had paired up with a budding contractor and the memories, well seeing a man with a tool belt still made her weak in the knees but she also had developed some rudimentary home repair and renovation skills. And each time she successfully fixed a leaking sink or did her own dry walling, she gave silent thanks to Jared.

Matt had really ticked her off this morning, rising when the sun did and insisting on helping her with her ranch work. He had come here to relax, kick back and maybe spend some time fishing at the lake. Not to engage in heavy labor. She had to nip this urge of his to the bud real quick.

But Matt had cut her off at the pass.

"C.J. I can help you," he said, "Two hands are better than one."

She turned to look at him dressed up ready to work in his worn jeans and checkered shirt not to mention his favorite pair of boots, which still carried the dust of the last time they had walked on this land. He appeared much comfortable than he did in a three piece suit although he wore both looks well on his lean but muscular frame. And she knew he had great hands for doing ranch work, they still bore the calluses of the years he spent growing up in his father's huge ranch back in Texas. But enough was enough…

"Matt, if you leave now," she said, "I'll forget that you broke your promise to relax."

He kept following her being his damn persistent self.

"And we can get it done in half the time," he continued, trying to persuade her.

"You're here to relax and take it easy Houston," she pointed out, "You've been so busy buried in cases the past six months you've barely taken any time off."

"Patching up fencing is my idea of relaxation," Matt insisted following her into the barn, "It beats sitting in traffic in L.A. all day or spending time at lunch meetings."

"Really Houston, I don't want you to spend your time working when you should be having a good time," she protested, as she opened up Chelsea's stall door.

"I am having a good time," he said, "I want to ride out with you and see what you've done with the ranch."

She smiled despite herself. She knew he wouldn't be disappointed, as she saddled up Chelsea. Matt went to the stall where his paint horse stood waiting. The horses whinnied in anticipation as Matt saddled her up and led her out of the stable before climbing aboard. C.J. grabbed hold of Chelsea's reins and joined him. They rode out across the pasture, towards the other side of the ranch enjoying the view. Matt felt relaxed as he patted his horse and moved across the meadow and he noticed that C.J. looked totally happy and at peace as she surveyed her property and pointed out some of its more prominent features. He knew his ranch like the back of his hand but he found himself drawn into her descriptive narrative accented by her Texan drawl.

As she rode, C.J. looked around at the scenery which surrounded them. Waves of green grass with golden tips and throngs of trees, their branches thick with leaves rustling in a gentle breeze. She looked over at the lake in the distance and thought maybe it'd be nice to go fishing later if she had time and maybe, just maybe she'd ask Matt to join her. Just sitting back on the grassy bank and hoping for a bite from some hungry trout, as they had done many a time when he still lived here just as they had done back in Texas. Sometimes they went swimming in the lake which was fed by the river but the sun had to be blazing hot to take the chill out of the experience. But today looked like it could be one of those days and she looked at the glassy surface of the lake in anticipation.

"It's sure a beautiful day," Matt said, riding alongside her.

C.J. had to agree, even though she knew that by late afternoon, the sun would be more intense injecting a lot of heat in the air. Right now, a cool breeze blew inland and stroked their faces as they headed towards the far pasture. Damn he looked comfortable in the saddle like he was born there, and she had forgotten how fine he looked in chaps, which fit snugly over his denim clad legs. And was that stubble lining his jaw, she saw. The suave and urbanized Matt had quickly begun to fade away in less than 24 hours.

He looked around him, apparently oblivious to the change.

"You've done a great job with the fencing here," he noted, "I had gotten it started but never quite finished it."

C.J. knew that he had stopped working on it when he had decided to live closer to the office and had bought a beach house in Malibu. But when she had first arrived here, she had picked up where he had left off and had gotten it done. Just in time because Slade had moved some of his cattle into a meadow that adjoined her property.

"I have some local teens helping me," she said, "They've been a great help."

Matt nodded.

"Is this area where the yearlings got in," he asked.

She pointed up the distance.

"They came in up there near the trees," she said, "but we patched that up yesterday…after we ran into the skunk."

They made it to the edge of the pasture where the fence leaned close to the ground and was missing a few pieces.

"We can patch that up might quick," Matt said, after he dismounted from his horse and took a closer look.

C.J. nodded, joining him.

"The wood's still in great condition," she said, caressing it.

She removed her toolkit from her saddlebag and handed it to Matt.

"Are you sure you want to spend the morning doing this," she asked, "There's plenty of other things you can do like relax."

Matt just watched her try to talk him out of helping her with the work. But he came to the ranch determined to keep an eye on her until Duval was captured and safely back behind bars where he belonged. Keeping an eye on her meant doing his fair share of work on the ranch which had never bothered him. In fact he had never shied away from it and in its own way it had soothed him when he felt riled up. Still, she cast him a doubtful look even as they both began to lift up ends of the broken fence to stand up together so they could be reattached with a couple of large nails.

"Slade should be helping you with this," Matt said, "It's his property line marker too."

C.J. shrugged.

"He's got a new herd of cattle coming this week," she said, "It's small but he's got to bring the vet to check them all.

"I see he's been coming around her quite a bit," Matt noted.

She concentrated on the fence, ignoring the tone in his voice.

"He's my neighbor and he's been a great help in working with the ranchers," she said, "because of his financial background."

Matt wasn't sure that Slade had confined his interests to a professional relationship with his ex-girlfriend. He had picked up great observation skills in his line of work and he certainly knew when another man had been checking out his best friend…like at dinner last night. And that thought unsettled him. Why, he couldn't imagine but the man's behavior at dinner last night had rubbed him the wrong way. Was it because he had been concerned that he would burn C.J. again? Yes, that was it, it had to be, and he knew that Slade had set his designs back on C.J. as well as he knew about anything.

"He seems interested in more than that from you."

She finally looked at him pushing her hair back over her shoulders, which showed off its highlights. Had they always been there? And the sparkle in his eye was that because he had made that observation involving last night's interplay at dinner? But she just gave a small shrug back at him, seemingly more interested in the nail she was holding than in this line of conversation.

"I haven't noticed," she said, "but he's a great guy."

"Who dumped you," Matt finished, "Broke your heart as I recall."

She sighed.

"I didn't put enough time into the relationship," she said, "I was too busy working on the lawsuit over that merger."

Ah, the ill-fated attempt to marry a pharmaceutical firm with Houston Enterprises that Murray had talked him into entering into last year. Sure, C.J. had spent hours burning the late night oil over that litigation but she had never complained about it. Never said it was robbing time she wished to spend somewhere else…or with someone else.

"Would you like to get back with him?"

C.J. shot Matt a funny look, wondering what he was getting at, but he appeared noncommittal as he deftly hammered a thick nail into the wood. His ears awaited her response but she spent some time considering what he had asked. He had expected that her answer would be a quick negative but if that answer wasn't coming quickly…

"I'm not sure, maybe," she said, "I didn't buy the ranch and move out here to be close to him…although it's certainly a possible fringe benefit."

"Fringe benefit…"

She smiled.

"Well Houston, what's not to like, he's a great looking guy and underneath his brusque manner, he's really a nice guy and he seems more at peace with himself now than he was in Beverly Hills' financial circles."

Matt nodded at her assessment.

"So you'd go out with him?"

She looked at him as if that were a silly question.

"Well yeah, who wouldn't," she said, "I'm not sure I'm ready for a serious relationship but that doesn't mean I can't have some fun and kick up my heels a bit."

"But C.J…"

She put her hand up.

"I don't want to hear it Houston," she said, "You guys do it all the time, go out with women that you're not really serious about. Well, what's good for the gander…"

His brow furrowed.

"I think you've got that adage backward."

"Maybe," she said, "but the world's changed Houston. Women can have it all now and if that means having some fun, is that such a bad thing? Will the world stop revolving over the fact that women can call the shots in their own social lives?"

"C.J. I never said…"

She sighed, lining up the nail again.

"I know but you were thinking it Houston," she said, "and that's really the same thing."

He just looked at her and fished in his memory for another observation.

"You didn't break up with Randy all that long ago either."

Now she felt like her patience was ebbing. Her hammer missed the nail and smacked her on her thumb which she promptly stuck in her mouth. Matt noticed that she appeared more flustered than usual.

"Houston…that was different," she started, "he…"

Matt raised his brows for her to continue espousing but she just shook her head and looked critically at her thumb.

"Did you hurt yourself," he asked casually.

Hurt…was he talking about her thumb which appeared fine or something else?

"Houston," she said, gritting her teeth a bit, "I'm totally fine with not being with Randy. He's gone his way. I've gone mine. I'm very happy and I wish nothing for the best from him."

And that was true, mostly except for the times she wished he would fall off the planet especially after their parting fight, the one where he accused her of being hung up on… Matt looked at her, thinking that she was being awfully diplomatic about the whole affair.

"C.J. if you're happy with how your life is going, then I think that's what is really important here."

She started hammering the nail again, this time watching where she landed her tool. He watched the concentration line her face and define her unwillingness to take this conversation where he had been leading it. He didn't know why he had pursued it in the first place, now that he saw it made her uncomfortable. Matt decided to soften his approach.

"All I want for you is to be happy…"

She looked at him squarely. He wondered if she were going to put her hands on her hips, fire up her hazel eyes and really let him have it.

"I am that, Houston," she said, "How about you? Since we're talking about relationships here, when's the last time you had a date?"

Matt paused. C.J. really knew where to aim her questions when he had struck a defensive core in her. The truth is, since he'd broken off his engagement with the last woman he loved, Elizabeth, he had been playing the field quite a bit. But lately…It just didn't seem as much fun as it had in his younger days. He enjoyed the companionship but it left him feeling empty. Not something one of L.A.'s most eligible bachelors was willing to admit but…wait this week counted didn't it? Before that, things became a bit hazy.

"I had a woman proposition me in my office," he offered, "She had sprawled herself on my desk, waiting for me."

C.J. raised a brow.

"Did you take her up on it?"

He looked chagrined and in its own way, that answered her question.

"C.J., I said thanks but no thanks and sent her on her way," he admitted.

That struck her curiosity because it didn't sound like the Matt she had seen lately, the guy with a different woman on his arm and probably in his bed each week and sometimes even within the same week. She had dropped by the penthouse suite twice in the morning ready to work and had seen women whisper things in his ear that made him smile before he sent them on their way. And C.J. had noticed that the women who left the suite wore big smiles on their faces too.

"Why on earth not," C.J. said, "You're single, you're free, there's a whole world out there Houston."

He finished nailing his section and stood back to inspect his work.

"I think she's really in love with her boss who's in a load of trouble right now," Matt said, "And she thinks if she seduces me, I'll take him on as a client."

"Matt, it's not like you've never…dated a client before," she said, "So what's the problem with this woman?"

"I'm not interested in taking her boss on as a client."

That intrigued her a bit.

"Why don't you want the case," she said.

"It was Zack's idea to take him on as a client," Matt said, "But C.J. I can't put my finger on it but all my instincts were telling me to reject the case."

She shrugged.

"You've always had great instincts," she said, "At least about business."

"But not about my personal relationships?"

She sighed again.

"I didn't say that Houston," she said, "Besides who am I to judge? If you're happy, then I think it's great."

* * *

They concentrated on repairing the fences for a while, more comfortable with the silence than in continuing the conversation. She thought about what he had said and about whether or not she wanted to renew her relationship with Slade. Now she remembered that she had decided to live on the ranch and away from the city for a while to figure out what she really wanted to do at her lives, feeling as if she had hit a crossroads. Being a success in the legal field and working with Matt first to build his financial empire and then on his investigative agency had left her feeling deeply fulfilled but she wanted something more, only she wasn't sure what it was that she wanted.

But if Slade asked her to go out with him, she probably wouldn't turn him down. Truth be told, while she had enjoyed her time spent on the ranch fixing it up during the long days that summer brought, she had been a bit lonely at night. She didn't miss the party scene of L.A. and had never been a huge fan of hitting the night clubs but she hadn't lived as a nun either. And with a handsome guy like him right next door…it might be considered more of a sin to pass up an opportunity to reconnect with him than take it up.

Still, with Matt visiting her, it might be rude to spend her time with Slade unless of course she could find someone interested in going out with her friend…but it couldn't be just anyone.

"I'm just happy to be here back on my…your ranch," Matt said, breaking the silence, "It's been a while since we spent time together away from the grind."

She nodded at that and she looked forward to kicking back with him too for a while. They always had fun together when they had the time. They kept their time together light and kept the serious side of their lives at bay. True, their significant others at the time had a little trouble understanding their closeness but that had proven to be a good litmus test in those relationships, how they reacted to the deep friendship she felt with Matt. Her best friend who had come all this way out to visit her because he had missed her presence in his life the past few months.

"What would you like to do when we're done working," C.J. asked casually.

He thought about it.

"You've got that meeting with the ranchers later this afternoon," he reminded her, "But maybe we could go out to dinner afterward at that diner…that is if it's still standing."

She chuckled.

"Of course it is Houston," she said, "It hasn't been that long."

"Is that a yes…or a no?"

She nodded.

"Of course we can head there afterward."

"Then consider it a date," he said, before returning to fixing the crooked nail in the fence with the back of his hammer.

A date.

Those two little words left her with a funny feeling when really they shouldn't. She and Matt had eaten dinner, just the two of them, too many times to count over the years and dinner, had just been that, dinner and if there was any dessert with it, well it was taken off of the restaurant menu. Putting it in that context, she knew he meant nothing with his reference, nothing at all. Still, the thought of it made her skin tingle kind of like it had been doing all morning. It had to be all this damn sunshine, and the crisp breeze rippling through the region that had her nerves pleasantly on edge.

She nodded.

"The meeting shouldn't take too long," she said, "An hour or so which will give us plenty of time."

Having made their plans for the evening, the two of them returned to the task in front of them, but C.J. couldn't shake her eagerness to spend that time with him. She tried to shake it off thinking that it seemed crazy to think that way about a guy who had been her friend for years…but only her friend. Surely she couldn't be thinking…

Matt watched her hammering her nail with such precision, making sure that she drove it solidly all the way through in a straight line. She had taken his offer of dinner as matter of fact as she usually did, clearly thinking nothing of it. But Matt found himself anticipating spending some time alone with her and he wasn't sure why. It must be due to his concern about keeping her safe while Duval ran off to parts unknown. If anything happened to her… But then when he thought about it further, he wondered if that was it. It had to be, and he had to keep all his focus on protecting her from any revenge wrought by the crazed terrorist wandering out in the world somewhere hopefully miles away. But his mind felt confused all of a sudden, his heart skipping beats.

He wondered if his offering of dinner had been just another token of their lifelong friendship at all.


	12. Chapter 12

Another installment of this rather strange FF story. I hope you enjoy it and thanks for reading…

* * *

Matt and C.J. finished repairing the fence by noon and stopped to take a break beneath the trees before heading back to prepare for the meeting with the ranchers. C.J. had told him that he didn't have to come with her but Matt had said that he had found the situation they had with the bank interesting and wanted to help, that is if it were okay with her. She looked at the earnest look on his face and couldn't say no to him. Damn he was sexy when he smiled like that, she thought watching him do that. Did he know its affect on women, of course he did. But she wasn't going to fall under his spell and make it easy for him to just tag along while she did her work.

"You're going to have to carry your load you know," she said, "I'm going to need you to be my…assistant."

"C.J…."

"No buts," she said, "You wanted to come along and help."

"Yeah but…"

She chuckled at the expression he wore now and tossed him a sandwich and a cola which he caught deftly.

"Sorry it's not a beer but there's plenty in your frig."

He popped the tab.

"This is great," he said, "You make the sandwiches?"

"Lamar did," she said, "It's his own recipe for chicken salad that was passed down in his family."

"It sure is beautiful out here," Matt said, "Reminds me of how much I missed this place."

"Houston…"

He took a long sip of his soda and then gazed at it thoughtfully.

"I'm glad you bought it C.J.," he said, "I think I would have regretted selling it if I had handed it off to a stranger."

She tilted her head at him, trying to read his facial expression but he made it difficult for her by focusing on his sandwich.

"Houston…," she said, "Do you regret putting it on the market?"

He sighed.

"No, but I realized that when I signed the deed papers, that I was going to miss it more than I thought."

She noticed a wistful look in his eyes, even though he smiled.

"I thought you liked living in L.A.," she said, "You seem happy there."

He certainly had kept himself busy there, becoming a regular on the social gala circuit and getting written up in some society columns. True, many of those events had been for charity but often the partying had continued after the galas themselves wound down. And Matt had plenty of women paying attention to him, something she knew he enjoyed very much. Still, his answer didn't come quickly. She wondered if it would come at all and then it did.

"L.A. has its advantages and attractions," he conceded, "but so does the ranch."

"Houston, the nearest club is over 100 miles away," she said, "and instead of galas, they hold square dances."

"Sounds like where I grew up."

She had to give him that point but she wondered how long he could be happy here without climbing back on his helicopter and flying back to L.A. for the next good time. His penchant for fast cars and even faster women. That should have been included on the bottom of his business cards.

"Do you really miss that," she said, "I thought you were happy out and L.A. and had really a great thing going."

He sipped his cola again.

"I am and I do," he said, "I just needed to spend some time with my best friend and I hardly ever see her in the big city anymore. I heard she bought herself a ranch. "

She smiled.

"It's been a while since we've hung out together here," she said, "I miss that and I've missed you."

He nixed the temptation to reach out and touch her face, to tell her he wasn't going anywhere. But he still hadn't told her why, that the terrorist they thought they had put in prison was out there and no one knew yet what he had planned. Still, as he looked at her tousled hair and the relaxed happiness she wore on her face, he knew Duval hadn't been the only force drawing him back.

"We're together now," he pointed out, "and I'm working for you on a case and that's $500 a day plus expenses that you owe me."

She laughed.

"I'd argue against that except I know that you're worth every penny."

"And you're going to make me work for all of it," he finished both his sentence and his cola.

* * *

After they had finished lunch underneath the tree and enjoyed the sunshine a while longer, they got on their horses and headed back to the barn. Quiet met them and C.J. wondered what Bo and Lamar had gotten themselves up to this time. Where were they? She looked around the barnyard and Matt tensed a bit and felt his hand reaching for his gun he had been carrying just in case anything happened, like Duval showed up unannounced. C.J. slid off of Chelsea and led her to the barn.

"Bo, Lamar are you in there," she called.

Neither responded back which left Matt wondering if anything had happened while they had been gone. C.J. looked at Matt and saw the concern on his face but didn't call him on it. She walked slowly into the barn with her horse behind her, clicking with her hooves against the floor. What she saw there warmed her heart. The two ranch hands were sitting in the corner near the bales of alfalfa and looking at what looked like to be a Mama cat and her litter of kittens. When Bo heard her footsteps, he turned around and put his finger on his lips.

"Sssh now," he said, "Mama's finally gotten her brood asleep."

She crept up slowly to get a better look at where the striped tabby cat that had been a fixture in the barn since she had returned had five tiny fur balls nestled against her.

"How many are there," she asked.

"Five," Lamar said, "And they all look suspiciously like that male Tom that's been howling up a storm lately."

C.J. smiled as she softly stroked the mother cat's fur, eliciting a purr from her.

"We'll have to make sure she's fed something besides whatever mice she can catch," she said.

Lamar nodded.

"We've given her some leftover chicken from last night," he said, "She liked it just fine."

Matt joined them on looking in on the mother cat and her new family, who seemed mighty comfortable in what used to be his barn. And he could tell C.J. loved animals of all kinds and would take good care of them. He watched her stroke the mother cat's fur and speak softly to her telling her how wonderful she and her babies were.

"She's going to be just fine in here," Lamar said, "She's a tough old cat. I remember she scratched old Bo the last time we were here."

Bo shrugged.

"That was before she got to know me," he said, "We're friends now."

C.J. finally looked at her watch.

"I'd better get going to that meeting," she said, "Make sure she's got plenty to eat during the day. She's using up a lot of energy feeding those babies of hers and keeping them warm."

Bo and Lamar both nodded.

"I'm heading to that little store and get her some food," Lamar said, "as soon as we check the last layer of paint on the shed."

"That will be great guys," C.J. said, as she stood up and got ready to go.

She turned to Matt.

"I just got to go get my things and I'll be ready."

"I'll unsaddle the horses and put them in," Matt said.

C.J. headed off to the house to get the documents she would need to present at the meeting with the ranchers. Matt wondered if Slade would be attending and realized that most likely he would be given that he had agreed to help C.J. Now Matt doubted that the man's motives had been purely altruistic because he knew that Slade had probably hoped to rekindle what he had with the woman he had unceremoniously dumped while a hot shot financial whiz in Beverly Hills. And Matt hoped that C.J. hadn't forgotten that experience only because he didn't want her to be hurt again, that was it wasn't it?

Matt had unsaddled the horses and had been waiting by the car when C.J. had returned with her briefcase. She smiled at him before stepping inside the vehicle.

"Are you sure you're up to this," she asked.

"I can handle it if you can," Matt said, "Ready to go?"

* * *

The meeting with the ranchers had gone about as well as could be expected. Ruth Ann had been upset about another letter she had received from the bank. Charles and Edna had brought their shotguns to the meeting and said that no one was going to take away their land which had been in their family since the turn of the last century. C.J. told them it wouldn't come to armed warfare in this day and age if they would trust her legal skills. Slade had sat in his chair, nodding in agreement.

"She's the best legal eagle on the West Coast," he said, "But you've got to work with her."

Ruth Ann nodded.

"I know she'll do her best," she said, "But the bank threatened to take my ranch away in 90 days."

C.J. sighed.

"I think we can at least get that deadline extended," she said, "through filing an injunction in court."

A couple people grumbled.

"That's only a delaying tactic," one man said, "They'll take her ranch and then they'll come after the rest of us."

Matt looked at C.J. as she listened to their concerns and saw that look of determination cross her face. When she looked like that, everyone better watch out.

"That's not going to happen," she said, "If we can prove the bank had an ulterior motive for raising the interest rates on your mortgages."

One man stood up.

"Yeah they wanted our land to sell off to that developer who came door to door with his sales pitch and tried to low ball us."

Matt listened to the conversation, thinking a million things at once. The man's comments aroused his suspicions about both the bank and the traveling developer and whether they were somehow in cahoots with each other. Slade was sitting awfully close to C.J. and she didn't seem to mind that, in fact she seemed to enjoy it. And he still had no idea where Duval had headed after escaping from prison and whether he planned to come after C.J. or anyone else he cared about.

"Houston…"

He looked up suddenly to see C.J. looking at him with something that looked like consternation on her face.

"Did I miss anything," he asked.

She rubbed her forehead, looking suddenly tired.

"We're going to take some of these letters back and fax them back to Murray," she said, "He's the one with the accounting experience and in tax law. Maybe he'll see something we're missing here."

Matt nodded.

"He's got a report he's just finished up on that new company we acquired," he said, "So he should have plenty of time now."

She started to get up.

"Then let's get that done…"

He grabbed her arm.

"Not until we get that bite to eat I promised you."

* * *

Matt and C.J. relaxed an hour later at the local diner, after ordering up steaks and baked potatoes along with a bottle of wine. The place was small and intimate and at least this evening, fairly quiet which meant they pretty much had it to themselves. They had headed on down there after their meeting had broken up and after C.J. had spent a few minutes talking with Slade in the kitchen when they took the glasses and pitchers of iced tea in the kitchen. Matt had stayed to ask Charles and Edna more questions now that they had put their shotguns down at least for a while.

"You really like him don't you," Matt said, while looking at his wine glass.

Truth be told he would rather have had a nice cold beer straight from the tap but he had wanted to treat his dinner out with C.J., their first in quite a while, as a special occasion and this establishment was quite nice in its own right, stylishly decorated with its rustic flair.

She sipped her wine before answering him.

"I always liked him Houston," she said, "but that doesn't mean I'm going to jump back into my relationship with him."

He nodded.

"That's probably the smart course to take C.J.," he said, "I mean what's that saying about fool me once shame on you…"

"Fool me twice, shame on me," she finished, "Thanks Houston, for the trip down memory lane."

The waiter brought them their dinners and both dug into them heartedly. Matt loved watching C.J. eat her food because she never picked at her meals like someone women did but embraced them enthusiastically like she did everything in life she enjoyed. You know what they said about a woman with good appetite for food…he shook his head to clear that thought. He had to keep his mind on the business at hand.

"Houston…"

He looked up abruptly.

"What?"

She looked at him pointedly.

"What are you looking at?"

He cleared his throat.

"Nothing…I was just thinking…"

"Look, I appreciate the advice but I think I can handle Slade or any other man for that matter," she said, "and I'm not saying I'm not interested in going out with him. I'm just not interested in a serious relationship."

"You mean…"

She shrugged.

"He's an attractive guy with a great physique and at least I know what I'm getting myself into with him," she said."

His brows rose, not liking where this conversation was going and not believing what he had just heard.

"C.J. what the hell are you talking about," he said, "That you don't want to get back together with the guy but you'd jump into bed with him again?"

C.J. took another bite of her steak, and then put her fork down.

"Houston, what's the big deal if I want to kick up my heels and have some fun with him," she said, "You do it all the time with women you meet."

"Do what all the time?"

She folded her arms.

"Don't play this game with me," she said, "How many women have you gone out that you've really been serious about as opposed to just hitting the sheets with for a good time? For a while, it's been a revolving door at the penthouse suite."

She had them there and boy, did she know it. He felt a healthy flush hit his face.

"You really cut to the chase, don't you?"

She sighed.

"I'm just calling it like I see it Houston," she said, "I'm not judging you on what you do. I just never took you as someone who believed in a double standard between man and women…"

"Meaning..."

"You know damn well what I mean," she said, "That if a guy wants a girl, that's okay and if he wants more than one, he's a stud."

Matt didn't say anything, having heard that line too and having lived up to it.

"But if you're a woman, you can only sleep with a guy if you're in love with him or else you're considered loose."

Matt couldn't respond to that either knowing women that had been judged that way including ones that had spent time with him.

"C.J. I'm not telling you not to…have fun," he said, trying to put the words together, "I just think you should be careful."

She almost rolled her eyes at her friend until she caught the look in her eye.

"Oh I am," she said, "I never walk into anything without my eyes open. I learned a difficult lesson when I was 17 and I've never made it since."

And he had kicked that "lesson" out of his office a day ago but she didn't know that. If she did, he wondered how she would react. And why was this dinner turning out so different than he had anticipated?

"I can take care of myself Houston," she said, "Maybe you should look closer at your own personal life before you give me advice on how to live mine."

He took a sip of wine to help the food go down his throat more smoothly. She watched him, waiting to see how he would response but he found himself silenced by her words. She took one look at him and got up from the table.

"Where you going," he asked.

She took out her cell phone.

"To call Murray and tell him to expect some faxes tonight," she said.

And just like that their dinner date had ended much different than it had begun. Neither spoke during the drive through the darkness back to the ranch. Not the way he liked it at all.

"C.J., look I'm sorry…"

"About what Houston," she said, not looking at him.

He sighed.

"About those comments I made," he said, "You're right. There's no reason why you can't have fun when you go out with men…the way I do when I go out with women."

She finally looked at him, sideways but he figured that was a start.

"There's really no reason for you to worry Houston," she said, "Like I told you I can take care of myself."

"Does Slade know you're not interested in a serious relationship," Matt asked, expecting her to tell him it was none of his business.

"I don't think either of us is looking for anything serious," she said, quietly.

Matt looked at the road ahead of them.

"Look Houston," C.J. said, "He hasn't even asked me out. I'm just telling you because you asked me but now I guess I shouldn't have told you."

He remained silent for a while, his eyes remaining straight ahead.

"You're right," he said, "It's your decision what to do with your life and I just hope you made the right one."

As soon as those words left his mouth, he knew he had said them all wrong. He thought they might earn a sharp rebuke from the woman sitting beside him but she said nothing, nothing at all the rest of the way back to the ranch. But in his mind, a plan formulated.


	13. Chapter 13

The sun woke up C.J. the next morning as it streamed through her window and with a sigh, she got out of bed, feeling the wine from the night before. Oh and then there had been that Scotch she had poured herself before hitting the sack. She had come back to the house after parting with Matt until the next day with too many emotions swirling inside her and competing for her attention. Too much to head to bed right away.

When she finally had tried to sleep so her body and mind could rest, she had tossed and turned during the night reliving her conversation with Matt at the diner and on the way back to the ranch. It might have been the wine that caused her to come out and tell him that she hadn't been meaning to get back together with Slade. She winced as she remembered telling him her speech about what was good for the gander, being good for the goose. That she could have her cake and eat it too if she wanted.

Spending most of the night wondering what Matt must have thinking after hearing her put it that way hadn't done her much good. But she meant it as much this morning as she had at dinner the previous night. She didn't think she was ready for a serious relationship after Randy who she had hooked up not long after Matt had called things off with his most recent fiancée, Elizabeth. Actually she had met him at the wedding where he had been assigned to work security before all hell broke loose. After Matt and Elizabeth had called the whole thing off, C.J. had accepted an offer by Randy to head out for a drink and dancing. Matt hadn't wanted any company and she didn't feel like pushing her way in, not after that speech he had given her before the rehearsal dinner when she had shared her feelings with him. Randy wasn't really all that complicated for her to figure out and he always was up for a good time, becoming her refuge to get away from the office where Matt had paced for weeks like a caged tiger getting over his broken engagement in his own way until Roy put his foot down and ordered him to take a vacation someplace nice.

But then how serious had that thing been with Randy, even though it had broken a long drought after the police had carted Robert Tyler off to prison after she and helped put him there. Damn she had really loved him, almost from the second he had reappeared in her life when he had taken that anchor job in L.A. She hadn't made it easy for him to win her heart always telling him she couldn't just park her analytical side that she had honed as a lawyer at the door. But he hadn't been intimidated by that as some other guys had been and had charmed her anyway, right past her logic and all her defenses.

Finding out the truth about him had really thrown her. At first her mind followed her heart and closed itself off from what Matt had told her about how the man she loved had turned out to be a cold blooded killer. And when she had participated in a sting with Matt and Uncle Roy, she had seen that side he had carefully kept hidden from her in action. And the part of her inside that she had given him, that she hadn't given anyone else, just died.

C.J. just shook her head to chase away that recollection. She had gotten over Robert and had moved on with her life but she had never quite gotten past the reality that she had been in love with a remorseless murderer. A man who had tried to have her best friend killed when he had discovered the truth. It would be a long time before her ex-boyfriend would set foot outside a prison cell.

As she showered and got dressed for the day, she thought about what she had told Matt last night, about her feelings about Slade. And how she had been unable to respond to him after what he had said about it being her own decision.

Bo and Lamar had already gone to the barn to tend to Mama and her new litter so that left C.J. whipping up a quick breakfast while she thought about the day ahead. Men she could put aside for a while as she thought about more basic things like repairing her boundary fences to keep Slade's horses out een while she considered letting him in.

Matt had woken up that morning after his own restless night to the sound of his cell phone ringing and the discovery that Hoyt had been on the other end of the line.

"What's up," Matt said, sitting up in bed, knowing it had to be important.

"Customs called this morning," Hoyt said, "and said that their records show no signs that any of their agents were approached by anyone resembling Duval trying to leave the country."

Matt found the news hardly surprising and he suspected that Duval had no intention of leaving the country at least not until he had settled an old score.

"He's got business here," Matt said, "before he can thinking about going anywhere else."

Hoyt sighed.

"He'd be stupid if he came after you," he said, "He's probably looking for a way to buy himself out of this country so he can start up a new terrorist cell elsewhere."

Matt knew that might seem logical but he also knew that Duval didn't always deal in logic. To him, family was much more important and family honor most of all. Matt had been responsible for the incarceration of his son…twice and of Duval himself. And he knew that the worst punishment for Duval was to lock him up in a prison cell thousands of miles away from his namesake. The original plan had been for both of them to escape and perhaps if they had, they both would have left the country to find some uncharted island to hole up in and rebuild their operations knowing it would only be a matter of time until they were back in business. But that plan had fallen apart not long after they had slipped out of their cells. Now Matt had no doubt that Duval was strategizing his next move and more likely or not, it involved him. After all, Duval's son would never have had to escape from prison if Matt hadn't put him in there himself.

"Duval, jr. was questioned extensively last night but refused to answer any questions," Hoyt said, "Hardly surprising."

Matt agreed.

"He'll never give his father up so interrogating him short of using a hose is a waste of time," he said, "but getting caught wasn't on the itinery either and I don't think Duval sr. is going to leave the country without his son."

"Houston…"

"Thanks for the update Hoyt," Matt said, "You call me if anything comes up."

"I heard that tone in your voice," Hoyt said, "If you're thinking about going after the guy…"

Matt sighed.

"Right now I'm thinking about all the work that still needs to be done around here," he said, "but you will tell me if there are any more developments?"

"Will do," Hoyt said, "but I don't think you're going to see this guy again."

Matt closed his eyes momentarily.

"I hope not."

Matt clicked off his phone knowing that he could hope Duval would stay away from him and his family all he wanted but that wouldn't make it so. He knew how the terrorist's mind worked and he wouldn't leave the country until he had either killed Matt or worse, taken something away from him in exchange for what had happened to his son. Duval had always been a quid pro quo kind of guy even though he didn't play fairly by those rules either. He got out of bed and went to take a shower, but Duval hadn't been the only subject that had made his night a restless one. He had stayed up to work on some papers that he had taken with him to review before faxing them back to Murray, signed on the dotted line. From what he read, Houston Enterprises would gain a lot from acquiring both startup companies. These days, Matt usually steered clear of the day to day operations of the company he had built up from the ground but the acquisition of new companies still excited them, the opportunity to meet excited and talented entrepreneurs and get to know them by working together.

So his company occupied a bit of his time but damn it, if what hadn't kept him up much of the night had been C.J. and this idea of hers that she was not going to get back together with Slade but had been open to the idea of hitting the sheets with the guy. If that weren't the most ridiculous…and reckless plan of hers, but then he had scratched his head, realizing that her goose and gander analogy had hit home for him. If he were to count the casual encounters and one night stands he had engaged in…well just in the past several months for starters. Actually there hadn't been that many of them and in fact there would have been more but after breaking off with Elizabeth, he certainly hadn't been interested in going down that road again. The pain, well it was enough to break off any thoughts about getting seriously committed to one woman anytime soon. In the meantime…

The shower cascaded down on his skin and he closed his eyes trying to think how he would handle Duval if he did show up at the ranch. Matt didn't think he had much time or opportunity to recruit too many followers in this country unless of course he had been recruiting from prison. He figured Roy and Will had safely holed up and could take care of themselves with help from Matt's considerable security forces. He would have more guards dispatched to the ranch if it became clear that Duval was heading in this direction. Bringing them in would mean telling C.J. about Duval's escape and every time he meant to do that, the happiness in her eyes at her new life stopped him in his tracks. Well except for last night when she had dropped that bombshell on him that had put all thoughts of Duval and any plan he might have for revenge straight out of his mind at least temporarily.

C.J. folded her arms when Matt came into the barnyard dressed up in worn jeans and those damn chaps of his, topped off by his favorite work shirt rolled up to his elbows.

"Houston, I thought yesterday was just an aberration…"

"A what?"

"You came here to relax remember," she said, "Not work yourself into a greater state of exhaustion."

"C.J. I'm not tired when I do ranch work," he said, "and when I am it's a more pleasant kind."

She did know what he meant. At the end of the day, her muscles might ache and sometimes she felt like she couldn't walk or ride another step but give her a glass of wine, some time in the spa and by the time she hit bed time, she felt almost rejuvenated.

"Okay Houston," she conceded, "I'm not here to tell you what you can and can't do. I just don't want you to overdo it. It's been a while since you've been out here."

The two of them headed to the barn to saddle up their horses.

"I know that but I'm fine," he said, "Although I'm still recovering from last night."

She sighed as she opened the door of Chelsea's stall after the mare greeted her by nickering.

"Houston…I don't know what the big deal is," she said, "and I really don't want to talk about it right now."

He watched her saddle up Chelsea while talking softly to the mare as if he weren't there. He went to get Sangria, a gray gelding from his stall and prepared him for a good day of riding.

"So what's on the schedule today," he asked casually.

"I thought we'd patch up that last batch and start working on that small stable out back," she said.

Matt knew she meant the small outbuilding on the edge of the far pasture where he had kept a couple of horses that preferred to spend their days pasturing on that end. Usually, older and more seasoned geldings who could handle some solitude. He imagined that in the past year, it probably had become more than a bit rundown by his neglect. Even though he paid a local rancher to oversee his spread, that didn't include the upkeep of the smaller buildings.

"That sounds like a plan," he said, as they prepared to head out in that direction.

C.J. enjoyed riding through the meadows on the ranch in the early morning hours before it became hot, sometimes so much so that most living things sought the comfort and protection of the shade beneath the trees where they could be found. The air had filled with birds singing and the seas of grass swayed like a gentle ocean in the breeze coming in from the ocean miles away. Every so often she looked at the man riding beside her who seemed to be lost in his own thoughts. Perhaps enjoying the morning just as she did, where no conversation was needed between the two of them anyway. They crossed several meadows before reaching the small stable.

She slid off of her horse and tying her horse to a fence post, she headed to look inside the structure. Matt had dismounted and soon followed her. C.J. brushed a few cobwebs off of her face and let her eyes adjust to the dim lighting inside where she could see several stalls which appeared to be in decent condition if perhaps needing several coats of fresh paint. The storage area for the feed including alfalfa bales needed some cleaning but the roof appeared sound from her vantage point and the floor free of rot.

"Doesn't look too bad," Matt noted, looking around, "Stalls look ready, maybe some structural work and a lot of paint and this place will be almost good as new."

She smiled as she nodded.

"I guess we can order the paint," she said, "and get started on the other necessary work."

She continued her survey as she walked towards the tack room. She walked inside the room which actually had been divided into two separate spaces. One room held all the tack including that which had belonged to Matt's father and grandfather and some awards for roping and bulldogging that they had won which might need a good dusting. C.J. picked up one trophy looking at it.

"Wasn't this when you rode Cyclone just before he broke your ribs?"

Matt grimaced at that memory. He had done his eight seconds on the bronco and then started to relax, too soon as it turned out. Cyclone threw him, he went flying in front of the packed stands and smacked his chest on some fencing which broke his fall. Breathing hurt like hell but he still managed to scramble out of the way of the horse's hooves while the rodeo clown went to catch it. At least a bronco never held it against a cowboy once he had gotten rid of the menace on his back but if it had been a bull…

She put it back on the shelf and looked around.

"You know you're still young enough to go back to doing some rodeo if you want," she said, "As long as you leave the bulls to the kids."

He chuckled.

"I'll keep that in mind but I don't think I'll quit my day job just yet," he said.

C.J. left the tack room to inspect the other space, which included a small office, complete with desk and filing cabinet as well as a smaller room to the side which included a bed, a small dresser and a small window which would provide a nice view once they removed the dust which coated the glass.

"Maybe some curtains here," she said.

Matt raised a brow.

"Thinking about moving in here?"

She gave him a strange look.

"No," she said, "but it still needs a few touches."

Like C.J. had done to his ranch house since she had purchased the ranch. He had almost been afraid to set foot inside the place, afraid that he wouldn't recognize what had once been his home, that she would have completely remodeled it. But when he finally mustered up the courage to take a look, he noticed that except for the furniture and one room that had been wall papered, it had pretty much kept its same look.

She sat on the corner of the small bed which squeaked from the weight and looked at the room thoughtfully.

"I guess we could hire a groom," she said, thoughtfully.

He gazed at her, at the way her brow furrowed as her mind worked on ways to renovate the building.

"We can get started right away if you'd like," Matt offered, "I can get the paint delivered by tomorrow morning."

She smiled and nodded.

"I'd like that," she said, "We had some good memories out here. Like the time we all bet that you couldn't tame that bronco."

He chuckled remembering how many times he had flown through the air after the horse tossed him. Until he had finally been able to ride him in front of his astonished friends who just handed him his winnings without protest after he had proven he had tamed one of the wildest horses on the local rodeo circuit. Until the bronco tossed him again.

"This might take a while," she said, "How long were you planning on staying anyway?"

He hesitated.

"As long as you need me…to fix up this place," he said.

She frowned.

"What about your business," she said, "I know you've got Roy and Zack working your caseload while you're gone but you hate being away from it for too long."

He paused longer this time. She threw him a questioning look.

"You're not responding," she said, "What's going on that I don't know about?"

His heart quickened as he wondered which secret he had hidden from her she had figured out. Did she know that he was hiding the dangerous threat namely Duval from her or did she suspect something was up with his agency?

He ran his hand through his hair, thinking fast. Damn it for being in this position because he had never hidden anything from her before but…

"Just spit it out Houston," she said more firmly.

He looked at her and damn it, if she didn't have her arms folded while looking at him.

"I…let Zack go," he admitted finally.

Her brows shot up.

"Let him go," she said, "What does that mean?"

"Exactly that C.J.," he told her, "I fired him."

Her mouth dropped and she had been rendered speechless which of course gave him more time to think of the right words to explain what had happened.

"C.J…are you okay…?"

Her eyes flashed.

"Of course I'm fine," she said, "I'm just shocked. You two are best friends who shared some pretty tough times together."

He sighed.

"I didn't realize just how different we were until recently," he said, "He and I have completely different goals for the agency and at the end of the day, it's my business and he didn't like my not turning it into a profit making machine."

That was part of the truth anyway, Matt decided, the only part she really needed to know about why he had fired Zack. She certainly didn't need to learn that he had nearly kicked his ass out of L.A. for an entirely different reason.

She nodded slowly.

"That makes sense," she said, "He was never my favorite guy but I'm still surprised."

He looked at her directly.

"I know you stayed away from the business and L.A. in part because he returned," he said.

She looked away from his gaze.

"Maybe…a little, but I mainly did it because I really needed to find myself."

She got up off the bed and walked towards the window.

"We'll have to get some cleaner for this window," she said, trying to wipe it with her sleeve.

"Are you doing that C.J.?"

She still remained faced away from him but finally she turned around.

"I think so," she said, "I've felt really good since I've arrived here and I work hard enough during the day not to think too much about things that really don't matter."

"This thing with Slade…"

She shook her head.

"I don't want to talk about it Houston," she said, "I'm not sure what I want or whether he's going to be part of it…"

"But C.J. you said last night," he started.

She nodded.

"I know," she said, "but right now I'm not even sure that it's him that I want…"


	14. Chapter 14

Finished another chapter of this fan fiction story. I hope you enjoy it and thanks for reading and your feedback!

* * *

Okay, Matt thought to himself, what was his best friend up to now? Just when he thought he had her all figured out or at least had been brought up to date on what she had been thinking or planning, she had thrown him through a loop once again.

"But you said that you were interested in Slade…"

She sat back down on the bed and stretched her arms, clearly thinking. He sat down beside her wondering what road her mind was taking her. It seemed to be going there at a much faster than he could keep up.

"I said I'd be interested in getting together with him if he were," she said, "but not in a serious relationship."

He looked at her.

"But you just said now…"

She ran her hand through her hair and continued to look straight ahead.

"I'm just not ready for a serious relationship Houston, with anyone," she said, "I've just felt I guess like I've been there, done that enough to just give it a rest for a while."

"But…"

She sighed.

" I meant what I said, but I'm human," she said, "It still doesn't mean I don't want to have fun and like I said, at least with Slade, I know what I'm getting into."

"You make it sound like it's a minefield that you need the right map to navigate."

She shrugged.

"I don't know if I'd go that far," she said, "but I feel safer with him than with someone I don't know as well."

Now he really felt perplexed and more than a little bit concerned.

"C.J., how do you know that," he said, "Your relationship didn't go very well the last time you two got together."

She felt her patience ebbing a bit in part because she knew what he was getting at. Maybe it was time to bring this conversation to a close.

"Time's passed since then for both of us," she said, "We're in different places now. Both just out of relationships and neither looking for anything serious."

"He told you that…"

She looked away for a moment.

"Well not exactly," she said, "I'm not sure why I have to explain that part to you anyway."

No she shouldn't have to explain it, but Matt still resisted the idea of her being as casual about relationships as he had become but then he had attributed his attitude to his breakup with Elizabeth, a woman he had fallen hard for and then ultimately couldn't build a life with because of his chosen profession.

"Does this have anything to do with Randy," he asked.

She shook her head.

"He's a great guy," she said, "for someone else. But no, this doesn't have anything to do with him."

Matt didn't feel too sure about that but he didn't pursue it. He had learned a few things in all the years he had known C.J. including when to hold and when to fold both while engaging her in poker as well as other things. C.J. got up and started walking around the room, looking at the small paintings on the walls closely.

"I think I'll keep these up here," she said, effectively changing the subject.

* * *

C.J. sat in the Jacuzzi later that night talking to Sheila who she called after changing into her swimsuit and bringing her customary glass of wine.

"So how things going out there," Shelia asked a bit worried, "You intend in staying out there in the wilderness permanently."

C.J. chuckled.

"It's not wilderness," she said, "There's a small town nearby and plenty of neighbors…"

Sheila cut her off.

"You didn't answer my question."

"I don't know what my plans are," C.J. said, "Except to enjoy myself fixing up the ranch that I've purchased and to work with the other ranchers who are having trouble with the bank."

"That sounds exciting," Shelia said drolly, "Did you give any thought to what I said?"

C.J. hesitated.

"I told you I'm not interested in a serious relationship," she said, "Doesn't mean I don't want to have some fun."

"B.S. Girlfriend," Shelia said, "You're not wired that way and you know it."

"What do you mean I'm not," C.J. said, more indignantly than she intended, "Listen if it's good enough for men like Houston…"

"Ah Ha," Sheila said, suddenly, "That guy is getting under your skin. I never thought I'd see the day."

Now that just made C.J. irritated as hell.

"Houston's done no such thing," she said, "He's out here taking a vacation from his workload and I've been spending time fixing up the ranch and helping my neighbors."

"Including Slade," Shelia said, "Are you sure you want to go down that road again with him?"

"I'm not getting back together with him," C.J. said, "Well not like before but for a little while…"

Shelia squealed.

"Oooh you naughty girl," she said, "Well you're free and single and in the middle of some wide open country that some might consider beautiful so why not?"

"Yeah why not," C.J. repeated.

"And you've got two great looking men in your vicinity," Shelia continued, "Speaking of which, what does Matt think of your plan?"

C.J. paused.

"He seemed a bit shocked at first," she said, "and he tried to pull that old double standard so I called him on it."

"He's probably just looking out for you," Sheila said, "You know how protective he is when it comes to you."

Yeah, she sure did know, but he had to learn how to give her more space when it came to the decisions about her relationships. She knew that he had been knocked nearly as much through the loop when the truth came to light about Robert's treachery and that he had made a most difficult choice to tell her the truth even if it might cost them their nearly lifelong friendship. And it nearly did, at least C.J. had thought until her trust in him overrode the type of denial that shields a broken heart and she had walked away from Robert.

But time had passed and she was over her feelings for that ex-boyfriend and in fact she had been involved in two short-term relationships with men after, the latest being Randy. Not that she wanted to go down that path, no that relationship probably had been finished even before their disastrous trip to Monterey and their last fight.

"C.J…"

Sheila's voice broke her reverie just in time. No need to proceed further down the list of her past relationships right now when she was unwinding after another long day.

"What?"

Her friend's voice became more serious.

"You really deserve to find someone who can make you happy," Sheila said.

"I will find someone," C.J. said, "It's just not going to be long-term that's all."

Sheila hesitated.

"Look, if you want a short term fling, why are you wasting time thinking about Slade, a man who's burned you once already?"

C.J. sighed.

"Because that's all water under the bridge and I know what I'm getting myself into with him," she said, "Better the devil you know than the one you don't."

"Look if all you're interested in is having a good time, then why not pick a man better than Slade is all I'm sayin."

"Who would that be?"

C.J. could sense her friend rolling her eyes on the other end of the line.

"You know who I'm talking about," Shelia said, "Don't play coy with me."

"I'm not…," C.J. said, "You don't mean Houston…"

"Bingo."

More than a few emotions flowed through C.J. at that moment, colliding with each other and clamoring for her attention. But sorting through all of them as they hit her proved to be difficult. So she grabbed the closest which was denial cloaked as indignation.

"You're crazy Sheila," she said, "Houston and I…we've been friends our whole lives and we've never…"

Sheila chuckled.

"Never say never during a lifetime," she said, "Besides he's a much better choice than your ex Slade because he cares about you so much and would never hurt you."

Exasperation stepped up to an already crowded plate of feelings next.

"I feel the same way about him," C.J. said, "But we've been friends forever and we're more than happy to keep things that way and if we got together and if it didn't work out…we might not walk away from each other as friends anymore."

Sheila harrumphed.

"How do you know that's what would happen," she said, "I think you're selling your best friend short…and yourself."

C.J. took another sip of her wine.

"He means too much to me to throw our friendship away on a fling," she said.

Sheila paused for a while. C.J. waited warily for her next line of attack and in a sense, that's how she felt. Sheila knew her long relationship with Matt was the most important in her life. And what she was suggesting…C.J. just wouldn't even consider it. Well most of her wouldn't anyway, certainly not her more sensible side steeped in intellect and experience. But then again…when he walked up to her dressed in his cowboy duds including those chaps…who could blame a woman for feeling _something_ besides friendship?

"I take it this sudden silence means that you're thinking about it," Sheila said suddenly.

So much for keeping her thoughts to herself, she mused. It's not like she had never wondered what it would be like with him including that time when she had flirted with him after the frog jumping contest. He had met her light flirting with a kiss that fired up her insides until she realized he had been joking. She just never let her thoughts wander in that direction further than she could safely reel them back in again and that day at a grassy spot not far away from where she relaxed now was one more reminder why.

"I'm pretending that you never brought it up," C.J. said, "Besides even if I wanted to…he wouldn't be interested."

"How do you know?"

C.J. sipped her wine again.

"I just know…Listen I got to go," she said, "We're working on that old stable on the edge of the property tomorrow."

She clicked off the phone and shook her head at what her friend had suggested. That she and Matt…no she would have to stick to her original plan to rekindle the embers at least for a little while with her neighbor Slade.

* * *

Matt sat on the porch and watched the stars light up the sky after the sun had set behind the mountains and had left a purplish cast behind. He had just gotten off the phone with Roy who told him that he and Will were settled and that Matt's security team had reached them safely. Hoyt had left a message on his phone while he had been in the shower that Duval still hadn't reared his head anywhere which fed Matt's suspicions that the terrorist hadn't left the country.

He had grabbed a can of beer from the frig and pulled the tab while he walked outside feeling the warmth that remained from the day on his face. The noise of animals scurrying around in the brush around the guest house greeted him and he settled down in his chair. He hadn't realized how much he had missed these quiet nights on the ranch away from the bright lights and frantic pace of the city until he had returned. Now he wondered why he had ever left and moved back to the city. Not that he didn't enjoy living just off the beach in Malibu but he really missed the time he had spent here with the friends he had brought to L.A. with him from Texas. Most of them except for C.J. had headed on back there feeling more than a little homesick out in California.

But then C.J. clearly hadn't been her usual self lately, moving back to the ranch, working tirelessly to fix it up again and this fool hearted plan of hers to consider a no strings affair with her ex-boyfriend Slade who now lived on the neighboring ranch. Obviously something had been going on with her when he hadn't been watching. But he had tried talking some sense into her and it had just gotten her dander up.

And she had been right when she said that she had to make her own decisions about how to live her life. He would respect that as much as he could if the circumstances had been different meaning there hadn't been a crazed terrorist running around loose, perhaps waiting for the best opportunity to exact his revenge. Until Duval was caught, Matt had to keep a close eye on his best friend first and foremost.

Only he couldn't tell her that, not wanting to disturb her newfound peace in her life. He shook his head at the dilemma he had built for himself and then he heard the footsteps. Standing up slowly from his chair, he reached for his gun. While pretty sure that it wasn't Duval, he couldn't afford to let his guard down like he had several years ago when he had been fairly sure the man was dead when he had still been very much among the living.

"Houston…"

He looked up and saw C.J. dressed in some sweats and a university tee shirt which didn't quite cover her tanned midriff. He took his hand off of his gun and smiled at her.

"I thought you had turned in already," he said, inviting her to sit down, "Can I fetch you a beer?"

She shook her head.

"I already hit the wine," she said, "I was just checking to see if you're all right."

"I'm fine C.J.," he said, "although I have to admit our conversation this afternoon left me thinking."

She felt weariness hit her.

"About what I told you?"

He nodded, watching her carefully.

"About what you're planning to do," he said, "I just wanted you to be careful. That still stands."

"I'm sorry you feel that way Houston," she said, "I didn't mean to take what you had to say lightly."

Matt put his beer down.

"I'd be lying if I said that what you told me didn't concern me."

"Look, just forget that I said anything at all," she said, "I shouldn't have brought you into this. It's my personal business."

He sighed.

"I'm your friend," he said, "You can tell me anything."

Including what's really motivating you, he wanted to ask but didn't. He didn't want cross words to come between them before they parted for the night.

"I think I've told you enough."

Defensiveness had crept into her voice although she tried to hide it behind a smile. He pretended that he hadn't picked it up, knowing that if he mentioned it, that sentiment would just increase.

"C.J. I don't want you to get hurt," he said, "even though I know you have to make your own decision about your relationships."

She folded her arms.

"Okay Houston, do you get hurt every time you go to a party and take home a woman for the night, one you may say goodbye to the next morning and never see again?"

"C.J. that's…"

She shook her head.

"Don't even tell me it's different Houston," C.J. said, "Just because I'm the woman and not the man."

"C.J.," he said, "I know what men are thinking in situations like that because I've done that myself."

Matt hadn't liked admitting that to his best friend but there had been times when he hadn't been serious about a woman he had been with, just wanting a good time. Even when the woman involved wanted something more than that from him. Like the nurse who he had engaged in a one night stand with who had been mentally unbalanced and had turned violent after he had broken things off with her. One of her victims had nearly been C.J. who had become the focus of the woman's crazed jealousy for no good reason. But then as Matt took his thinking a bit further, he realized that some of his other girlfriends had felt threatened by his close relationship with C.J. too and several had broken up with him over it. His friendship with C.J. had outlasted all of his romantic relationships.

"I can handle it Houston," she said, "Much better than…"

She paused not wanting to continue with her statement so she picked up her wine glass and took another sip.

"Being hurt by someone you loved," he guessed.

She put her wine glass back down.

"Excuse me," she said, "That has nothing to do with it."

Oh Matt didn't feel too sure about that. He knew that Randy must have said something to C.J. in their last fight that still bothered her now.

"Okay so it doesn't then," Matt continued, "but this isn't like you."

She sighed.

"Maybe not Houston," she said, "But I've done a lot of thinking since I've been here and I just want to relax and have a good time for a while. And if that means having fun with a great looking guy like Slade for a while, then I can live with that."

"Okay fine then," Matt said, "but there's no reason why you have to jump in bed with the guy. Maybe if you give it a little more thought first, okay?"

She looked at him strangely.

"That's what I was planning to do," she said, "Look Houston, I told you I was just thinking about this and I don't even know if I'm going to act on it."

That made him feel a little better. It would make him feel a whole lot better if she would just abandon her crazy plan. Maybe if he played his cards right, he could help convince her to do just that.

C.J. just watched him sip his beer thoughtfully and she thought, maybe Houston's right, maybe Sheila's right…Maybe… then she rejected the thought. But Sheila was right, she had two great looking men in her vicinity to pick from.

"What's the matter C.J.," Matt asked.

"Oh nothing," she said, smiling.

Maybe Sheila's suggestion didn't sound so crazy after all.


	15. Chapter 15

I finished the latest chapter of this story, thanks for reading and for the feedback! I was watching the pilot episode again last night which is excellent but did want to give Matt a swift kick some times…and C.J. looked like she did too.

* * *

C.J. had meant for most of the dirt she had cleaned off the window to wind up rinsed in a bucket of water sitting on the floor. But things hadn't worked out quite as well as she hoped and she wound up covered from her hair to her boots with a layer of dust and grime. She had spent the past couple of hours trying to clean out every inch of neglect inside the tack room, beginning with the shelves. She had gently removed all of the rodeo awards and found a safe place for them before starting to work on the aged wooden furniture.

Bo and Lamar had packed her a sandwich and some soda before she left and they returned to weeding the vegetable garden. Matt had taken off to fly to L.A. to conduct some business, he had told her and she had taken off on her own to work on the small stable. She thought about their conversation last night and once again realized her mouth had gotten away from her. Why she had even told him about her designs on Slade she had no idea now. It must have been the wine. That and the fact that somehow he had always been able to get her to let her guard down. But she had spent the morning focusing on fixing this place up keeping her mind on more mundane things which she found to be a huge relief. As the morning faded into afternoon, sweat trickled down C.J.'s face as the sun shone brighter through the window and the stable became almost stuffy until she opened the back door to bring some fresh air inside.

Matt had asked her if she had been sure she didn't need his help before walking out to the helicopter. He said he had received a phone call earlier that morning that an impromptu meeting had been set up and his attendance was needed. C.J. didn't ask any questions just wished him a good day and said she had plenty of work to keep her busy.

She shook her head as she thought about him and the thoughts that had been running through her head when she had sat on the porch with him last night. And it had been all Sheila's fault for getting her to take her mind in directions it really shouldn't go. Like how Matt's lips had felt when they kissed her after she had fessed up to using a performance enhancing aid in that frog jumping contest. But the stunned look on his face had been priceless but then of course he had quickly turned the tables on his best friend by knocking her socks off with that kiss. There had been kisses like that sprinkled throughout the years friendship just enough so to make things a bit interesting but of course they hadn't met anything to him. Matt loved women and he loved having them around him. No doubt there would be a message trail from women wanting to talk or do other things with him when he reached his penthouse suite in L.A. He would be able to do what he had always been able to do, pick and choose which one he wanted.

* * *

Matt sat at his desk in his office sorting through his messages. After landing on the helipad, he had tried to walk quietly into the entrance to avoid the line of secretaries that awaited his arrival to the office armed with paperwork for him to sign and phone messages to return. And he had left the ranch and C.J.'s strange moods for a specific purpose, to do much needed research on the man who had escaped from being locked up in a federal penitentiary and who he knew hunted him down. He had figured that Duval probably knew about the ranch from his previous exhaustive surveillance of Matt to find information he needed to use against Matt to get him to free his son. But maybe Duval would find out that the ranch had been sold and figured that Matt had walked away from it and not realize that it had merely switched hands to C.J. His eyes closed when he thought about her back at the ranch. He hadn't wanted to leave her after their conversation last night afraid she might go off and do something rash with this new attitude of hers she had going but leaving her alone for a few hours seemed better than explaining what this trip had really been about. Besides, his security detail had gotten there and Matt had told them to stay out of sight until he returned and could explain why several men had just shown up on the ranch.

He heard a knock on the door and saw Rebecca.

"What is it," he asked, putting a file down and looking at her.

She looked down at her feet.

"I just thought I'd give you a heads up," she said, "but that Gloria woman, she's on her way here about her case."

"Her boss' case," Matt corrected, "I have some work to do here and really can't be disturbed so if you could just head her off at the pass…"

She nodded.

"I'll try but she got through the whole line of us last time."

Matt remembered that and her attempts to seduce him in his office. Just to get him to work on Stanley's case. He wished he could say he had been tempted by her offer and the package that it came in but he really had just wanted her to go away before he decided to take Stanley's case just to get her to leave him alone. She was beautiful enough and the dress hadn't left much to the imagination but she had left him cold. Maybe he was coming down with something.

The phone rang. He picked it up.

"Houston," Chris said, "You've got a call on line four. It's Vince Novelli."

His eyebrows shot up. Now there was a blast from the past. His best friend who had left L.A. after being burned out by a life as a cop. He had taken his retirement complete with the watch and had moved his entire family including his mother to Hawaii. Now he spent his days running a small investigative firm and spending days deep sea fishing on his boat. He had even taken up surfing so he could keep up with his growing sons.

"Well hello Vince," Matt said, "How's life treating you in paradise?"

Vince sounded more relaxed than Matt had ever heard him. Most likely the ulcers which had expedited his retirement date had healed up from the magic of the islands.

"Couldn't be better," he said, "Wife and kids are doing well. Even Mama's adjusting, starting up a new restaurant."

"That sounds great," Matt said, "Life's the same here though I just fired my latest partner."

"When is C.J. coming back," Vince said, "It seems it would be easier to talk her back into working with you than hiring and firing replacements."

Matt paused.

"She's perfectly happy where she's at and with what she's doing," he said, leaving a few of the more recent details out.

"That's good," Vince said, "Hey listen Houston, I called you because the feds called me about Marquis Duval escaping from prison."

Matt sighed, rubbing his forehead.

"He got out a couple days ago," he said, "They have no idea where he is or where he's heading."

"You know where he'll be heading," Vince said, "He's mad as hell at you for ruining his plans and taking away his son from him…twice."

"I know," Matt said, "Roy and his son, Will are in a safe place surrounded by guards and I've been staying out at the ranch with C.J. She thinks it's just a visit."

Silence met him.

"What is it Vince?"

"You didn't tell her that Duval escaped," Vince said, "After what happened last time?"

"Look Vince, I haven't seen C.J. as peaceful and relaxed as she is now in a long time," he said, "I didn't want to take that away from her."

"You're going to have to tell her," Vince said, "Unless you plan on waiting until Duval shows up and tries to hurt her to get back at you."

Matt knew that his friend spoke the truth that he hadn't wanted to think about, that being that the enemies who knew him best, who really did their homework on him before coming after him knew that you always went after a man's Achilles heel and in his case, which had always been C.J. Duval had been no exception and boy, had he really used his feelings for his friend to manipulate him into doing his bidding. And he never hid his intentions, telling him up front that Matt's own feelings would be of great use to him. Matt knew that if the two of them crossed paths again, his adversary would be equally direct with him.

"I'm going to have to tell her," he said, finally.

Suddenly he heard footsteps near his door and looked up and saw Gloria standing there.

"Look Vince I've got to go," he said, "I've got trouble here but it's been great talking to you."

Matt clicked off his phone and looked up at the woman who wore a tight dress, which advertised her intentions more clearly than a neon sign.

"I've been looking for you," she said.

Matt had no doubt about that but he had been busy doing other things and his caseload had to wait until Duval had been captured and locked up again where he belonged.

"Your partner told me that you won't take Stanley's case," she said pointedly.

"My ex-partner," Matt said, "Zack no longer works for me."

Gloria frowned.

"He didn't mention that part when I ran into him."

That hardly surprised Matt as his best longtime buddy had kept a lot of information from him including sleeping with his best friend and abandoning her when she needed him years ago.

"Just call it irreconcilable differences," Matt said, "Now about Stanley's case, I have to tell you that I'm only in town for a few hours to conduct some other business. All my cases are on hold until further notice."

Her mouth fell open.

"So you're walking away from your responsibilities to your clients just like that?"

Matt frowned, not liking the accusation that lit up her eyes as well as laced her words.

"First of all, I hadn't decided to accept Stanley's case," he said, "and second, an unforeseeable emergency had come up that required me to leave town."

Gloria folded her arms.

"Some woman's husband coming after you?"

Now Matt really didn't like that, having left having affairs with married women behind him and relegated to his younger days when hormones ruled his life and he hadn't known better.

"I don't date married women so I don't have anything to worry about from their husbands," he said, "Nor do they from me, the smart ones anyway."

Her face turned more forlorn.

"I love Stanley," she said, "I would have only gone to bed with you to help save him."

Matt's stance softened.

"I know that," he said, "which is one reason why I turned you down."

She tilted her head.

"One reason," she said, "You mean you wouldn't have wanted me even if I had just wanted you?"

Matt had to think about that, not exactly sure why else he had turned her down. That part still puzzled him.

"Look, I haven't decided to take your husband's case and I don't know how long I'm going to have to be out of town," he said, "so maybe you might want to hire someone else."

She looked at him for a while and then she nodded.

"I guess I'll have to do that," she said, "But I can wait a short while for you to wrap up your business."

"I don't know how long it will take," he warned, "At this point, it's a bit up in the air."

She nodded.

"I understand," she said, "I'll help myself out."

With that, she turned around and left him. He exhaled, not knowing that he had in a sense been holding his breath waiting for a shoe to drop. Then he looked up as he saw his secretaries herd right in his office competing for his attention.

* * *

C.J sat under the tree outside and started in on her lunch, enjoying the warmth of the day which didn't seem to be nearly as oppressive as it had been at this time yesterday. She looked back at the building in satisfaction after spending her morning working on it. Her efforts didn't show on the outside which still needed a new paint job but its inside was starting to look smart. She hoped that the paint that Matt had ordered would arrive soon because she had nearly finished cleaning the tack room area. And then it would be back to looking the way she remembered it, when Matt had still lived at the ranch with Bo and Lamar and they had so much fun here whenever they needed to get away from the craziness of L.A. She looked up and saw Lulu heading towards her riding Sundance, who seemed to be taking good care of his novice rider.

"What's going on," C.J. asked surprised to see her.

Lulu carefully dismounted and took her horse to where C.J.'s ate grass.

"Bo and Lamar finished the weeding," she said, "They're heading off to town to get more groceries."

"So how are you and Dylan doing with cleaning the equipment," C.J. asked.

Lulu made a fence.

"He and I had an argument," she said, "Over something I thought was really stupid."

"Like what?"

Lulu fidgeted with her hair and C.J. didn't think she was going to get anything out of her.

"You can tell me," she said, "Chances are, I've been there myself."

Lulu hesitated, flipping her hair off of her shoulders.

"Well you know I like Dylan," she started.

C.J. had guessed that much. After all, she had been a teenager too, a while back and she remembered the first time she had ever liked a guy. A young boy from a neighboring ranch in the days before Zack had ever noticed her.

"Okay so you like him," she said, "Is there a problem with that?"

"I really like him," Lulu said, "but I don't think he likes me."

C.J. furrowed her brow, having been down that road too.

"How do you know," she said, "Did he tell you?"

"Well…no," she said, "but every time I try to tell him, he changes the subject. Like today, I tried to say something and he suddenly decided that the old tractor in back of the barn's more interesting than I am."

C.J. almost smiled but she had detected some hurt in the younger girl's voice so she knew she had to proceed cautiously.

"Well that's kind of normal for guys," she said, "Some of them take a while to get a clue. And that's not necessarily an age thing."

"You mean like Matt?"

C.J. just looked at her wondering where that had come from.

"Well…no, I was thinking about someone else," she said, thinking fast.

Lulu shrugged.

"I just thought…you seem to like him an awful lot," she said, "I mean you're good friends and all but it doesn't seem to be what you want."

Now C.J. felt really shocked at Lulu's opinion of her and Matt. She would have tossed the words aside if she hadn't heard them from someone quite a bit older than the girl several months ago.

"Well…we've been close friends our whole lives," C.J. said, "I admit there were times, mostly when I was younger when I wished he looked at me differently…"

"Like I feel about Dylan," Lulu guessed, "I mean we're pretty good friends but sometimes I wonder if that stops him from looking at me, well…as a woman."

C.J. smiled, but she understood.

"That might be," she said, "But you can't undersell your friendship either to wish for what might have been. Boyfriends will come and go but a great friend is someone who will be part of your whole life."

Lulu snorted.

"Okay that's great and all," she said, "But if I have to be great friends with a guy, why does he have to be so good looking?"

C.J. sighed inwardly, knowing that she had asked herself the same question many a time while growing up with her best friend. Until some years ago when she had decided to just give it a rest and move on with her life.

* * *

Matt headed back to the ranch in his helicopter, relieved to have left the office behind him. Normally that might leave him feeling a tinge of guilt but not today. He had placed one call to Hoyt after doing more research on Duval and learning that Interpol hadn't run into him ether but had added him to its fugitive list. If Duval left the country, he would probably disappear into the fabric of the region which had hit him well in the past. But Matt just knew that Duval had some unfinished business here and that unfortunately it involved him. He looked ahead at the sea of blue sky ahead of him and down at the green and brown colored tracts below him, as he approached the ranch.

He had made this commute back and forth between the ranch and L.A. daily without thinking for several years when he had first moved to L.A. and purchased the ranch so he wouldn't feel so removed from his roots. He had rarely brought any women there unless they were close friends of his, preferring to leave his social life with everything else that was complicated in the big city. He had laid down the law with Murray too many times to count not to bring his business to the ranch except for a board meeting now and then having to rely on C.J. to whisk him away when Murray cropped up with a new proposal that couldn't wait for Matt to reach the office.

When he landed the bird, the area around appeared to be awfully quiet. Bo and Lamar's trailer was still there but their truck was gone. He knew where C.J. had headed to that day and that their teenaged hands had been busy doing grunt work in the barn. He went to the guest house and shed his business suit, changing back into his ranch clothes, the ones that felt much better next to his skin. He then decided it was a good time to take his paint horse out to the ranch and do some training to turn her into the next great cutting horse. He went to the barn with a purpose, saddled her up and they went out to the paddock in front of the barn and got to work.

That's why he didn't hear the truck that had pulled up into the drive until it had parked next to C.J.'s truck.

"Nice riding," Slade said and Matt turned around to look at C.J.'s ex-boyfriend.

"Thanks," he said, "I won this gal in a chili contest and had high hopes for her but I've been so dang busy..I thought I'd catch up on some training…"

"She's sure a nice looking filly," Slade said.

For a moment there, Matt thought he had been talking about C.J.

"Excuse me?"

Slade smiled.

"I mean she's well built, for both speed and endurance," he said, "I don't know horse flesh too well but I know a good one when I see it."

Matt exhaled. Obviously the rancher had been talking about the horse and you couldn't really argue with anything he said about this one. She would have become Matt's pride and joy if only he had the time.

Slade looked around the barnyard.

"Where's C.J. anyway," he said, "She called me earlier about wanting to go look at some of my yearlings."

Matt raised his brows, knowing that C.J. already had as many horses as she could handle. He wondered if Slade knew that.

"She's out fixing up that stable on the rear end of the property," he said, "She should be back soon."

Slade nodded.

"You know that we had a past together, right?"

Oh Matt knew that much and he knew what had happened.

"Yeah I do," he said, "She cared about you an awful lot before you dumped her."

Slade's smile diminished.

"I'm not real happy with the way I handled that…or her."

Matt bristled.

"She's not something that you just 'handle'," he said, "She's not one of your horses, she's a woman and she's my best friend so you'd better think about that before you think about hurting her again."

Slade folded his arms.

"I have no intention of doing that," he said, "But I am interested in her. Breaking up with her was the biggest mistake I made."

Matt reined in his filly who was getting a mite bit impatient standing still. He knew the feeling. Not that he disliked Slade, at least not very much, but the man just wasn't good enough for his best friend. C.J. deserved the best guy out there and he hoped she would find him. At least most of him did, he thought but the rest of him…hmmm better not go down that road.

"It's up for her to decide where she wants to fit you in her life," Matt said, "But she's been very busy wit the ranch. I'm not sure she's looking for a relationship right now."

That part had come straight from the woman's mouth. But the deal was, he hadn't thought that Slade had been all that serious in his feelings about C.J. and now he wasn't so sure.

That amused Slade, Matt could tell by the expression on his face.

"So you handling her social calendar now," Slade said, "or are you interested in her?"

Matt worked his jaw a bit at that question. Interested in C.J., the woman who had been his best friend for years. The woman who had bought his neglected ranch and had been nursing it back to health, turning it back into what he had loved. The woman who had always been there for him when he needed her and even when he didn't.

"I take from your silence you just answered my question," Slade continued.

"C.J. and I are friends," Matt said, "But that doesn't mean I don't want the best for her and I'm just not sure you're it."

Slade chuckled.

"I guess that's for her to decide isn't it partner?"

Matt sighed.

"Look I've already put one of her ex-boyfriends in his place this week," he said, "I've been awfully busy but I think I can handle another."

Slade shook his head at him.

"Listen to yourself," he said, "Do you know what you're saying?"

Matt didn't really know, only the usual that if anyone messed with C.J., they'd better watch their step. He didn't like people hurting the ones he cared about including her. No, he amended, especially her.

"You know I thought I'd have some competition for her…She's a beautiful woman if a bit too stubborn at times," Slade said, "but I didn't think it would be coming from you."

"That's not what this is about," Matt said, "It's about you coming back into her life and taking another shot at getting what you want and hurting her again when you're finished."

Slade just looked at him.

"Boy you really do want to get it on with her," Slade noted, "But she's a grown woman and she'll make her decision and it's going to be me…because we're not best friends."

Matt couldn't believe where this discussion was heading, but in for a penny, in for a pound.

"She's too smart for that," he said, disregarding everything that C.J. had told him about wanting a no strings affair with the guy, "She learned from the first round with you."

Slade stepped forward and Matt's horse whinnied and backed away. Slade put up his hands.

"Look when C.J. returns, I'm asking her out and you know she's going to accept," he said, "And we're going to go out and have a great time…"

"I'm sure you will," Matt said, "but she doesn't love you."

"Who said anything about love," Slade said, "This is about two grownups having a relationship. How many women have you been with that you loved?"

Matt felt irritation hit him because that hadn't been the first time he had been asked that same question. Not even in the last 24 hours.

If Slade knew he had hit a nerve he didn't let on. Matt dismounted from the filly and climbed up over the fence, landing on the other side next to Slade.

"You might be a nice guy underneath all this," Matt said, "but you're also a piece of work and C.J.'s going to pick that up quick enough."

"Pick up what," he heard a voice from behind him.

Both men turned around and saw C.J. and Lulu sitting on horseback looking down at them and both of them fell silent for the moment.

"Houston, Slade, what the hell is going on here?"


	16. Chapter 16

The latest installment of this fan fiction is done. Thanks for reading and your feedback.

* * *

Uh Oh, Matt thought looking at C.J. who just stood there at about 5'8 down to her boots and stared at both men with her arms folded. She had gotten off of her horse and handed the reins to Lulu before confronting them. Matt knew they were in for it but when she came up to them, she threw them a smile which didn't make Matt breathe much easier.

"Could you take her to the barn for me," she had asked quietly, "I'll be there in a few minutes."

Lulu just looked at them all and shook her head.

"Grownups," she mumbled, riding back to the barn with C.J.'s mare.

C.J. placed her hands on her hips and tilted her head to look at the two men who looked as if she had caught them like kids with their hands in the cookie jar. Matt wondered how much of the conversation she had overheard and then decided he really didn't care. He didn't care because he hadn't liked where Slade had been heading at all. He figured that C.J. was smart enough to figure him out but then he didn't know right now if that were a good or bad thing.

C.J.'s direct look included the both of them but she kept her tone light. Matt knew that just made her more lethal when cross-examining witnesses on the stand at trials and he didn't like much being in the hot seat.

"So what's up with the two of you," she asked, "and what exactly is it that I will be picking up on?"

Matt and Slade looked at each other. Neither wanting to be the first to answer her challenge. C.J. just continued to look at them, with those hazel eyes which could bore right through a man, her mouth curled up in what looked like an attempt not to smile. Matt knew she wasn't really all that cross with them as she appeared but was having some fun after catching the two men together comparing caliber sizes. She sighed somewhat for affect to test their reaction.

"Okay which one of you is going to talk first," she said, "I see Houston that you've returned safely from your business meeting and that you, Slade have come here so that we can take a look at some yearlings."

Slade tipped his hat.

"I'm ready to go if you are C.J."

She put up her hand.

"In just a minute," she said, "Houston, how'd your meeting go?"

He nodded, not letting her get to him. But then he realized it was a little too late for that.

"Good actually," he said, "Gloria wanted me to take her boss' case but I told her I was on vacation."

She allowed herself to smile at that.

"Okay that's good because you needed one," she said, "As for the rest of it, I'll talk to you later when I get back."

That sounded like a promise and in a sense, a reprieve, so he nodded as she walked back to the barn and to her horse. Matt just looked at Slade who watched her walk into the barn. Then he remembered he that he hadn't quite finished their conversation.

"Like I said, if you do or say anything to hurt her…"

"I'll know about it from you," Slade finished, "Now if we're done here, I've got to show some of my horses to the lady."

Matt watched Slade walk over to where C.J. had just walked out of the barn. He watched them talk a bit and then walk off together to his truck. Matt went back to his horse and continued working with her for a while before heading back to his guest house for a beer. At this point, he decided he definitely needed it.

* * *

Slade and C.J. gazed out across the meadow where about a dozen younger horses, in all different shades, grazed peacefully.

"They are real pretty," C. J. said thoughtfully.

"Not as pretty as you."

She chuckled.

"I picked up a lot of dust working today," she said, "So it's very nice of you to say that."

He stuck his hands in his pockets as they continued along the fence.

"I have a confession to make," he said, "I didn't invite you to the ranch just to look at my yearlings."

She shrugged with a smile.

"I know that," she said, "Besides I have plenty of horses already. I mean I love them but I've got to pace myself a bit. "

He took a deep breath before continuing. She realized he might be a bit nervous broaching the topic of her as perhaps he should be, given how he had broken off his relationship with her. Maybe that meant he had grown up a little since they had last been together.

"C.J…"

She looked at him, taking in the expression on his face and she cut him off at the pass.

"Look I know what you're going to say," She started, "that you're sorry that you broke off with me like you did."

"Well…"

"You know there wasn't anything wrong with me like you said," C.J. said, "I think the problem was with you and your unwillingness to make a commitment…well at least to take home only one woman at a time."

Slade looked at his boot which kicked a bit of dirt around.

"About Melanie…"

She snorted.

"I was talking about Ellen," she said, "I think that's what her name was, though maybe I'm getting her mixed up with Peggy."

He sighed, looking back at his yearlings. She leaned her arms against the fencing and watched them too, not really wanting to look at him suddenly.

"You're a great guy when you want to be Slade," C.J. said, "You just don't always want to be."

"What does that mean?"

She paused before she continued, not wanting to start a fight with him or hurt his feelings. After all, she had moved on from that relationship and didn't feel any great desire or need to revisit it.

"That a woman has to really know what she's getting herself into before hooking up with you," she said, "and now I do."

He looked confused, not that she could really blame him for that. She had felt like that for most of their relationship until she had put two and two together…which she might have done a lot sooner if her feelings hadn't gotten in the way. And for too long, she had blamed herself for Slade's unfaithfulness to her when they were together which she didn't really know the extent of until he broke off with her. It had been a feeling she had before it had become fact that even when he had been with her, that he really hadn't been. She had thought she had done something wrong …until she bumped into him and Ellen.

"So why then did you come over," he said, "if it's not to take a look at my string of yearlings?"

She looked at him point blank.

"Because I do like you, we're neighbors now and you said for me to give you a call…if I were interested."

He nodded.

"I want another chance with you," he started, "I know I screwed up…real bad."

She looked down at her feet a moment, listening to him trying to find a way to pick up where they had left off. But the problem was she had heard this speech before and had taken him back and then he had turned around and dumped her.

"Yes you did," she responded carefully, "and I'm not sure I want to go down that road again."

He sighed, adjusting his hat.

"Can't say I blame you," he said, "I was a jerk but I've had a lot of time to think about my actions and I'm trying to be a better man."

She nodded, smiling.

"I know that and that's great," she said, "And I am interested in you, just not in the same way as before."

His brow knit in confusion.

"Say what?"

She paused for a moment waiting for the words to come. They should have come more quickly given that she had practiced them inside her head.

"C.J.?"

"I don't want to get back together with you," she finally said, "I just want to spend time with you."

He scratched his head.

"Does that mean what I think it does?"

She almost laughed at the bewildered expression on his face.

"Well physical attraction was never really a problem between the two of us," she pointed out, "Just everything else in a relationship."

"C.J…

"Slade, I just think I'm at the point in my life where I just want to have a good time," C.J. said, "and not get into anything too serious."

He just looked at her.

"So we're just supposed to hit the sack," he said.

She paused.

"Well maybe not right away."

He shook his head at her.

"This doesn't sound like you C.J."

She shrugged.

"I've changed Slade," she said, "I've decided if I get involved with a man it's going to be on my terms."

He looked at her for a long time.

"Maybe we'd better finish the rest of this conversation inside the house…"

* * *

Matt sat on his porch drinking his beer as the sun began setting on the horizon throwing up a light show of various hues of pink and purple onto the mountains which surrounded the valley. The heated air began to dissipate to be replaced by a cool breeze blowing from the ocean some miles away. C.J. still hadn't returned yet from visiting Slade's ranch to check out his yearlings. He doubted that Slade's invitation actually had much to do with taking a look at his collection of horses. No, Slade had wanted C.J. to come back to the ranch with him to spend time with her and Matt knew that C.J. didn't need much in the way of excuses to spend time with her ex-boyfriend. After all, what had she just told him the other night, the bombshell she had dropped about wanting to have a no-strings affair with him.

C.J. didn't just hop into bed with guys. At least he didn't think so. But then how much did he really know about her and that part of her life? He had known most of her serious boyfriends like Carl, like Robert but while she had walked into the penthouse many a time prepared to work while he had still been walking one of his spur on the moment flings to the door, he had never seen with a guy who had only lasted a night. Just the thought….difficult to imagine. He put that one away quickly.

He looked at his watch again. She had been gone for several hours and he wondered if she would be returning for the night. He felt concern flow through him, not he told himself because she might be hooking back again with her ex but because he didn't have her in his sights and Marquis was still running around loose unaccounted for by the FBI or the police. He had come out to stay at the ranch to visit her but also to protect her in case the terrorist came after her for revenge. What if Marquis had teamed up with a new batch of converts and they came out to the ranch to get even with Matt for putting their leader and his prized son away in prison? How could Matt keep her safe from harm if she weren't with him? Then his mind quickly changed subjects again, back to what if she realized that she wanted to get back with Slade after all? And why did the thought rattle him, she was a grown woman and could take care of herself. She had made that clear to him during the times it had been necessary to put him in his place.

The extra security would have to be awfully discreet to avoid attracting C.J.'s attention, Matt thought. He couldn't exactly bring in a couple of battle toughened ex-commandos in and have C.J hired them up as ranch hands especially since he doubted either of them had been near a horse except on a merry go round back when they were kids a hundred years or so ago.

Matt got up from his chair and decided that he had to do his perimeter check of the immediate area around the ranch house to ensure himself that neither Marquis or any of his hired help were anywhere near, planning on an act of revenge. Yes that's what he had to do, he kept telling himself as he tossed his beer can in the trash and headed on out.

* * *

C.J. sat in the Jacuzzi with her glass of wine and her eyes closed. The night had turned out beautiful as it always had been since she had moved to the ranch. She loved to relax after the end of a day spent working hard on the ranch. And she really needed to unwind after this one, especially after the way it had all turned out.

Just in time, her cell phone rang. Shelia's name popped up on the Caller ID. She looked at it, not sure she wanted to talk to anyone right now let alone her nosy friend who no doubt would light up the phone line with endless questions.

She clicked the phone a bit warily.

"Hello…"

"Hi there," Shelia said, "So how did things go with Slade?"

C.J. rolled her eyes. Just like Shelia to cut right to the chase.

"Okay…," she started.

"Is that all," Shelia said, "I thought I would receive a much more glowing report that just, 'okay'."

C.J. sighed.

"I dropped by his ranch to visit his yearlings and we got to talking about our relationship," she said.

"One of those fun trips down memory lane?"

"Not really," C.J. said, "I was up front with him and told him what I wanted and that it wasn't to get back together with him."

"And what did he say?"

"He seemed fine with it," she said, "at first."

Shelia snorted.

"What man wouldn't be," she said, "Most men would jump at the chance for a no-strings affair with a beautiful woman like you."

C.J. paused.

"I thought so too," she said, "So we went into his house and things seemed to be…proceeding well at first."

"I sense a 'but' coming…"

"He started pulling away and said he needed to think about it some more," C.J. said, "and I was kind of glad that he did."

"What do you mean?"

"He started telling me that he didn't want to be viewed as an object…"

Shelia harrumphed.

"Coming from a guy like him that's pretty damn ironic."

C.J. had been shocked herself when he had waved the red flag while they had been making out on his couch.

"I was surprised," she said, "and then it hit me, that I didn't really want him either…not like that."

Shelia sounded confused.

"But wait a minute," she said, "Didn't you tell me that you didn't want a serious relationship with him?"

C.J. felt frustration fill her not at her friend but at herself and her own conflicted feelings that had interrupted her interlude with Slade.

"I don't want any relationship with him," she said, "well maybe a casual friendship because we're neighbors but nothing more than that. I remembered what it was like to have my heart broken by him."

"C.J., you don't have to put your feelings into it you know," Shelia said, "There's nothing wrong with some light hearted fun between two consent adults if they both want the same thing."

C.J sighed.

"I know that," she said, "I'm just not sure that's what I really want or if I can be so casual. At least not with him and I don't want to get back down the same road with him."

"I didn't think you were wired that way," Shelia said, "I think you put your heart into everything you do and that includes your love life. You don't do anything halfway."

"Sometimes I think it would be a whole lot easier if I didn't do that," C.J. said.

Shelia laughed on the other end.

"Oh easier's not necessarily better," she said, "and what's important is to be happy with someone."

"I know that," C.J. said, "It's just that…"

She looked up suddenly, thinking she had just heard a noise in the bushes outside the pool area. Only darkness met her and it appeared as if silence had once again settled down.

"I thought I heard something," C.J. said, "Anyway, what was I thinking pursuing anything with Slade? The guy cheated on me when we were together."

"Maybe he's just the wrong guy even for a casual fling," Shelia noted, "I mean there's other guys out there including one right underneath your nose."

"Not him again," she said, "I mean not that he doesn't know what a casual fling means but like I told you, I don't want to jeopardize what we have together."

Shelia sighed dramatically.

"And I told you that your doomsday scenario wouldn't necessarily come true if you did hook up with the guy," she said, "Do you think he would be interested?"

C.J. started to answer and then thought about it. They had known each other for years and she figured if they had wanted to get together, they would certainly have done it by now. But she didn't want to blow their friendship and he didn't want to stick to any one woman for very long. Certainly not since his breakup with Elizabeth.

"He might think it's funny if I approached him," C.J. said, "and then ask me if I was feeling okay."

"You'll never know unless you try," Shelia continued undeterred, "I mean he's still staying on the ranch right?"

"He's here on vacation…"

"Exactly," Shelia said, "and that's why it's the perfect opportunity to…"

C.J. looked up again, hearing noises in the other side of the pool area, louder this time. She sighed, thinking she had better check it out to see if one of those coyotes she had heard about had finally made an appearance.

"I've got to go Shelia," she said, "I'll talk to you later."

She clicked off her phone and reached for her robe before stepping out of the Jacuzzi.

* * *

Matt had walked the area around the barn and the ranch house to make sure that there were no signs of Marquis and any of his followers. What met him had been the stillness of night settling on a place miles away from any city, so he took out his flashlight and turned it on, illuminating a path ahead of him. One light remained on inside the house which didn't really tell Matt whether or not C.J. had returned from her outing to Slade's ranch. Had she come back or was she still there with her ex-boyfriend? He answered his own question by reminding himself it was none of his business. If she wanted to get back together with him, that was her decision, he told himself for the hundredth time since the afternoon.

He turned a corner and out of the corner of his eye, he caught sudden movement and before even thinking of it, reached for his gun. He didn't pull it but just let his hand rest on it.

"Houston?"

He looked closer and saw that it was C.J. dressed in a royal blue robe which meant that she had been sitting inside the Jacuzzi a short while ago.

"C.J…you're back."

She looked at him puzzled.

"Of course I am," she said, "Where else would I be?"

"I thought…"

She folded her arms.

"That I would have spent the night with Slade," she finished, "Why would I do that?"

That comment led him speechless. Wasn't she the one who had just told him that she had her designs on the guy?

"You tell me," he said, "You're the one who told me you wanted to get back together with him."

"That's not what I said Houston," she said, "I said I didn't want a relationship."

He remembered what she had told him clearly enough because he still remembered how strongly he had disagreed with her.

"So why aren't you still with him?"

She looked at him pointedly.

"What are you doing here anyway wandering around."

He didn't budge.

"You first."

She rubbed her arms.

"I didn't want to stay there any longer," she said.

He narrowed his eyes.

"Listen did he do anything…"

She shook her head.

"It just wasn't what I thought I wanted, that's all."

He saw her try to close the book on the subject. Too bad he wasn't great at taking hints.

"So you didn't…"

"No I didn't," she said, "The guy did dump me after all after he cheated on me."

Matt put an arm around her shoulder and drew her closer to him.

"You deserve a lot better than him," he said, looking at her.

"I know," she said, then looked around her at the paddock area, "So what were you doing out here anyway?"

Matt scratched the back of his neck.

"Just walking," he said, "I used to go out on walks at night when I lived here."

She leaned her head into his shoulder.

"You weren't checking up on me were you?"

He looked innocent.

"Who me," he said, "Well maybe just to see if you were home."

She smiled at that and it warmed his heart.

"I was just going to cook up some late dinner," she said, "Would you like to join me?"

He squeezed her and then nodded.

"I'd like that," he said, "Come on, let's go."

And so they did, putting that day behind them. C.J., to forget about her visit to Slade's house and Matt to wonder why C.J. thought he could ever treat her feelings for him as anything less than serious.


	17. Chapter 17

Here's the latest installment of this FF story. Thanks for reading and for your feedback!

* * *

Dinner had been great and C.J. had headed off to bed after they had spent a couple hours on the porch laughing and talking. They had enjoyed many a dinner together and when she started to get ready to bed, she remembered others where they had kicked back and really had a good time. She had been watching him during the evening when she thought he hadn't noticed and it hit her how nice he appeared in his worn out jeans and washed out shirt. Okay, maybe nice wasn't the best word for it, but even though she had always known that Matt's looks attracted the attention of many a woman, she had often stood there shaking her head when they fawned over him. She knew Matt enjoyed the attention and didn't want to inflate his ego any further by joining the crowd. That's what she told herself anyway but the truth was, it had been like standing in front of a jewelry store and looking at items that were way out of her price range. He was the most expensive item in that store that existed inside of her mind even though she knew judging him that way wasn't really fair. But in some ways, she had felt out of his league even though she worked alongside him.

As the years had passed, she had just gotten used to that.

"So what are you up to tomorrow," he had asked as he got ready to leave.

She stretched her arms.

"I thought I might start really working on that stable," she said.

"Need any help?"

She started to answer then paused, getting an idea.

"Actually I think I'd like to do it myself," she said, "I see a lot of possibility."

A look flashed across his face and she chuckled.

"Don't worry," she said, "I don't have plans to change it too much. You'll still recognize it when I'm done."

She could almost see the relief replace the concern.

"Houston, if my renovations to the ranch are bothering you, why did you put the place up for sale?"

He sighed.

"I didn't have enough time to spend out here once my caseload really started picking up," he said, "but I think part of it is I didn't make the time."

"You know, you can come out here anytime you want," she said, "It will still be a home for you if you want."

He nodded knowing it wasn't just a polite gesture on her part.

"Thanks for taking good care of my horses," he said, "You've done a great job with the paint."

She smiled widely.

"You mean Cayenne," she corrected.

His brow went up.

"You named her?"

She put her hands on her hips.

"Houston, it's been over a year," she said, "The poor filly needed a name if only to know what to answer to."

His mouth curled into a smile the way she knew it would.

"You remembered the name of the chili which won me my horse."

She shrugged.

"I remember lots of things," she said, "Including why you really stopped living here."

Did she really just say that? She wanted to bite her words as soon as they left her mouth and blame it on the wine. But now that she said them, it wasn't like she could reel them in again like a fishing line. Especially when she read the expression on his face.

"C.J…."

He started heading to the door and she knew he was looking for escape. So she blocked his movement.

"Look, you know there's no way you could have saved her even if you had been in L.A.," she said quietly.

Matt closed his eyes and she knew she had hit her mark. And now she knew she hadn't wanted to do that.

"I know that C.J.," he said, "She was dead within 10 minutes of the kidnapper's call."

"See you couldn't stop it."

"I could have…if I had another minute," he said.

"So why did you keep blaming yourself for not making it on time," she said, "When you couldn't have ever made it."

"I know what you're saying but…"

She put her hand on his chest.

"No buts," she said, "You've been blaming yourself for what happened long enough."

"That's not what I'm doing."

She folded her arms.

"That's exactly what you're doing," she said, "And look, I really enjoy your ranch but maybe I took advantage of you by buying it. I just didn't want to see a place you loved so much going to a stranger."

He shook his head.

"No, I'm very happy that you were the buyer," he said, "but why are you bringing her up?"

"Because I care about you and you did everything you could do to save her," she said.

"Not everything…"

She sighed.

"Look Houston if you're going to beat yourself up about something," she said, "Why not pick something that you can change?"

He gave her a look.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

She bit her lip, worried that she had just started something with him, but she couldn't back out now. But she didn't want him to go back to the guest house angry with her and even worse, at himself for not being able to save everyone.

"Houston…I'm sorry I brought it up," she said, "but I hate seeing you beat yourself up against things you can't change and you couldn't have stopped what happened that day."

He started pacing, not what she wanted to see.

"If I had been able to deliver the ransom ten minutes earlier…"

She shook her head.

"You couldn't…okay," she said, "You're not superman, you're just a man who sometimes thinks that he can do everything."

He ran his hand through his hair.

"She was just a little girl," he said, "She didn't have a chance to live her life. To experience all that lay ahead of her."

C.J. bowed her head.

"I know that," she said, "I think about her too. What it would have been like for her to attend her first spring dance. Her graduation day at high school. Her first boyfriend...besides having that crush on you."

"Yeah she did didn't she," he said," She used to send me little Valentines, the kind that you buy in those boxes for your friends at school."

C.J. smiled.

"She was 13 and at that age, that first crush can seem like everything," she said, "and I know she would never blame you for what happened."

"But it's my fault," he said, "first for dropping my guard and letting that man snatch her and then for missing out on the ransom deadline."

She studied him carefully, feeling the pain keenly that she saw on his face as if it were her own.

"The guy was a disgruntled employee working for her father," she said, "He set it up so that he would have to kill her and you got caught up in that because you're a really good guy with a big heart who wanted to do whatever it took to rescue her."

"I didn't do everything…"

"You did all you could Houston," she said, "More than most people would."

He looked down at his hands.

"She died two years ago, last week," he said, softly.

"I know," she said, "but you've got to stop punishing yourself Houston and if you want your ranch back…"

He shook his head.

"No I want you to have it C.J.," he said, "You've done wonders with it and it's really coming back to life."

"You can help me," she said, "That is if you want to while you're here."

"Thanks…I guess I'd better be going…"

But she couldn't let him go just yet so she moved towards him and put her arms around him, drawing him into an embrace. He accepted her in and closed his eyes as she rested her head against his shoulder.

"It's going to be okay," she said, "You're going to be okay."

They stayed that way for a while, each one not willing to let the other go…just yet. C.J. always enjoyed being held by him, taking the hint of his favorite cologne and feeling the warmth of him on her skin. She always felt safe in the strength of his arms around her and when she felt tense, she would just relax before she knew what happened. Matt on the other hand, how he felt she didn't know but she knew that at times, she had been the one doing the comforting just as she did now. When he was enclosed in the security of her arms, with her strength bolstering him.

Finally they broke away and looked at each other. She smiled at him, taking his hands in her own.

"Thanks," he told her simply.

"No problem," she said casually, "Now if you really want to help me…"

He smiled back in his way that warmed her heart and she knew he felt better.

"Whatever you need," he said, "I plan on staying around for a while and enjoy my vacation."

She frowned then.

"Listen if you'd rather relax…"

He shook his head.

"I am relaxed," he said, "I've enjoyed getting reacquainted with this place. What do you need me to do?"

She thought about it.

"I'll handle the stable…"

"It's a lot of work for one person," he said.

"I know," she said, "but I kind of want to surprise you with it when it's done, okay?"

He nodded.

"Okay, then I could finish the fencing on that pasture by the lake," he said, "That will keep me busy while you…fix up the stable."

After sealing that deal, they had gone their separate ways and C.J. had headed off to bed with a lighter heart. When she had broached the subject of why Matt sold the ranch, she had felt as if she had pushed too hard but she knew underneath it all, why he had avoided the place for nearly two years. The death of Christy, the daughter of a friend of his who owned a pharmaceutical company had really torn up Matt because she had probably been killed after he missed the ransom drop off while running around L.A. trying to keep up with the wild goose chase the kidnapper, who she knew had planned to kill the child all along as the ultimate act of revenge against his boss who had fired him for stealing formulas and selling them on the black market. Matt had blamed her death on the fact that he had gotten the phone call while out on his ranch herding cattle and it had taken him longer than he wanted to get back to his helicopter and fly to his office in L.A. where his friend had been waiting.

Matt hadn't gone to the funeral and she hadn't forced the issue on him, attending in his stead. It had been the painful affair that funerals always were when the older generation buried a member of the younger one. But time had passed and Matt had appeared to recover from the loss and she knew that in some ways, he had done that and moved on. Still, he bore the scars from that time in his life, never showing them to anyone.

She had wondered when he sold the ranch if he still felt clouded by the guilt that had haunted him for nearly two years, one reason why she had purchased it. She knew he hadn't been the only casualty of that tragic event which had rippled outward and impacted many people. His close friend Lt. Vince Novelli had retired not long after the funeral unable to continue any longer as a police officer. It hadn't been that long after the two of them had teamed up covertly to fool Duval and rescue C.J. from his clutches. Matt told her later what had happened in L.A. while she had been held captive on some unnamed island sitting somewhere in uncharted waters. The two men had even come to blows outside the courthouse when Matt had gone to the judge to recant his testimony. He knew that wouldn't be enough to save C.J. but it would buy him time and the means to find out where she had been kept.

At first Matt had thought that his friendship with Novelli had been a casualty of his desperation to try to save C.J. But his friend figured out quickly enough that the vulnerability of Matt being exploited by Duval hadn't been greed, but his love for his friends. Novelli and Matt had worked together to rescue C.J. and bring down Duval and his band of terrorists.

C.J. lay back on her bed thinking of how many lives had been changed by that one case involving a young girl even as it had appeared to slip into the backgrounds of their lives which had moved forward. And now she and Matt were back on the land that both had loved, both coming from different places while trying to find their way.

* * *

Matt arose early the next morning and the first thought that came to him was that he felt much better. Like a weight had been lifted off of his shoulders that he hadn't even known was there. But C.J. had, she had nailed the reasons behind his decision to sell the ranch right on the head. For a minute there, he had been furious at where she had been going, but he reined himself in quickly because he knew she hadn't broached the subject to hurt him but to help him help himself. Because she had seen the quiet pain that still lay behind his eyes, more acutely perhaps because of the ranch. And by purchasing his ranch, once again she had reached out and saved him from himself. Knowing that by selling his beloved spread, it had been as close as he could come to excising the piece of himself that still blamed himself for Christy's death.

He brewed some coffee and planned his day. He would tack up Cayenne and maybe get the teen hands to come with him. The fencing near the lake had been hit hard by a series of storms that had hit the valley not long after he moved out and might take at least one full day to fix. But he would get them done then cover them with layers of protective paint. Then maybe if they did get done earlier, they could head to the nearby lake and do some fishing. C.J. had been adamant that he was to stay away from the stable while she fixed it up and he knew she would come after him fierce if he disregarded her wishes.

After eating a light breakfast and packing up a lunch, he headed to the barn where he asked Lulu and Dylan who were still cleaning tack if they wanted to come out and help him. Naturally they jumped up at the chance to get out of the barn and into the sunshine. They saddled up a couple of the placid geldings and they all headed out. Matt noticed that C.J.'s mare hadn't been in her stall so she must have already headed out. The fencing that needed mending didn't lie too far away from the stable which made Matt breathe easier because he was ever vigilant for any signs of Duval or any of his disciples in case they came to the ranch seeking revenge. The security men no doubt had arrived and had disappeared into the woodwork of the rugged land. They had been instructed to stay out of sight of C.J. because he still hadn't told her about Duval's escape from prison. He had meant to last night but then she had brought up that painful chapter of his past and it had slipped his mind.

"Are we almost there," Dylan asked, riding up alongside him.

Matt nodded and pointed out towards the edge of the meadow where they would be heading. They reached the fencing which indeed leaned badly in several places and after settling their horses near some trees, they started working. Matt quickly noticed that Lulu and Dylan worked well together, with Lulu laughing at Dylan's jokes.

He hammered some of the fencing while the other two held it still.

"This is looking much better," he said finally after they had been working for a while.

Lulu walked up to him.

"Where's C.J. anyway," she asked.

Matt lined up the next nail.

"Working on the stable," he said, "She's going to do an unveiling when she's done."

Lulu leaned against the fence and looked at him.

"She's pretty nice even though she works us hard," she said.

Matt hammered the nail in the wood, and then tested it.

"I've known her a long time and she's never worked anyone harder than she works herself."

Lulu sighed.

"Are you like going together," she asked.

Matt's had been ready to hammer another nail but stopped.

"No, no we're not," he said, "We're just really good friends."

She looked confused.

"Did you break up or something?"

Matt continued running his hands along the fencing, looking for a strong spot.

"No, we never got together," he said, "Why are you asking so many questions?"

She shrugged.

"You're a hot looking guy…for being so old."

Matt smiled.

"Thanks…I think."

"And she's really pretty," Lulu continued, "and very smart. She's been much more easy going since you came here."

"Oh she's always been that way," Matt said, "We both needed some time away from the big city and we hadn't seen each other in a while."

"Were you friends with that creep," Lulu asked, "the one C.J threw beer on."

His brows rose.

"You saw her do that at the chili party?"

Lulu nodded.

"He and I used to be good friends, army buddies in fact," Matt said, "but not anymore."

"Because of what he did to C.J.?"

He looked at her and wondered how much she knew.

"She told me what happened to her when she was near my age," Lulu continued, "He was a jerk to her."

Matt knew he couldn't argue with that.

"Yes he was," Matt said, "I was out of the country so I didn't know what happened until much later. If I had known, I never would have let him get away with it."

Lulu nodded.

"Because you are her friend."

Matt nodded.

"She told me that I should look for friendship with guys and not just how hot they look," she said, "Someone who accepts who I am and doesn't try to change me."

He smiled.

"That's good advice," he said, "Your friends should be people who respect you and what you want," Matt said, "and also what you don't."

She furrowed her brow.

"You seem to be pretty smart for a guy," she said.

"Well thank you," he responded.

"But you don't follow your own advice," she said, "I mean I've read the magazines and guys like you are always with a different pretty girl every week."

He looked back at the fence.

"You can't believe everything you read," he said, "Those magazines exaggerate."

She just looked at him.

"How come you're not in those pictures with your best friend?"

* * *

C.J. looked back at the windows that she had spent the past couple hours cleaning, the bucket of water having turned black by the time she had finished. She dropped the rag in the button and sat down on the bed. Her muscles ached from the positions she had held while cleaning out the tack room and when her stomach had started rumbling, she hit her lunch.

The room had grown warm, to the point of being stifling and she had forced open the window to allow in some even hotter air, but at least it smelled fresh. She had tried to keep her mind off of the conversation she had with Matt last night, a part of her feeling guilty for evoking a painful memory that had haunted him. But a larger part of her felt that he had been punishing himself needlessly for too long. Selling the ranch had been part of his penance and she had thought about how to ensure that he would always feel home here. When she had embraced him, that had felt good and she knew by the time she had released him, he had felt better. She had helped him with her touch in the ways he had often done the same for her. But there had been a memory of that tragic incident and its aftermath that both had left unaddressed. When she had woken up this morning, she almost felt like it had come back between them.

She shook her head to get it out of her mind. But the paintings on the walls in front of her, and the shadows cast off by the trophies almost sent her back. Finishing her lunch, she knew the only way she could stop thinking about the past was to get to work on fixing up the stable before showing it to Matt. So she picked up a fresh rag and searched for some wood cleaner to work on the office furniture. The sharp scent of it brought her back to focusing on the cleaning she still needed to do before calling it a day.

Suddenly, she heard her horse whinny from outside and as she stopped working and listened, she heard movement outside of the stable. It couldn't be a coyote, not in the middle of the day. If not, then what was it? She stood up and looked out the window but saw nothing. Still she decided she needed to take a closer look to satisfy her curiosity.

So she walked outside, wiping her palms on her jeans. But after that she looked up again where her horse had been tied and she saw him.


	18. Chapter 18

The latest installment of this story is up, hope you enjoy it and thanks for the feedback!

* * *

She looked at him and did a double take. At first what she saw was an attractive man with a dark hair cut in military style and who appeared built like a middle-weight boxer. Then her eyes narrowed as she thought she might recognize him. He looked at her intently, his face bearing a serious expression.

"Who are you and what are you doing here," she asked, "This is private property."

Damn, she really thought she should have placed him but maybe he just looked like he could be any of a several dozen different guys that came out of the same mold. Actually she thought he bore some resemblance to an action figure.

He didn't answer her questions and she didn't care for that much. She folded her arms and approached him slowly.

"I asked you some questions," she said, "So I'd like some answers."

She thought she saw him look around as if she were casing the place. What would he want with the rundown stable that she had been renovating? Her gaze didn't break from his face.

When he finally spoke, she realized he had an accent, one she couldn't recognize.

"I'm sorry to disturb you ma'am," he said, "I was walking and I must have taken a wrong turn."

C.J. looked at him, sizing up his answer. So what she had was a man dressed up like a Rambo action figure wandering around lost on her ranch? That just didn't seem likely.

"Are you a hunter," she said, "because it's not legal in these parts."

He shook his head and tried to make an effort to smile, which clearly didn't come naturally to him.

"No Ma'am," he said, "Just a man who's looking for some work actually."

She tilted her head to study him more carefully.

"Most people looking for work just come through the front gate," she said.

"I know that's what I should have done," he said, "but I got turned around somewhere and got lost."

"You don't look dressed like a ranch hand," she said, doubtfully, "Besides, I don't have any openings right now. It's a pretty small operation."

He tried to broaden his smile.

"I can see that," he said, "Still if you know anyone who is hiring, I'd appreciate it."

She rubbed her forehead.

"A couple of the other ranchers in the valley maybe," she said, "My neighbor has bought some new horses so maybe he'll be looking for some extra help."

He bent his head.

"Thanks Ma'am," he said, "I've bothered you enough so I'll just head on my way."

She wished him well but watched him closely as he walked away towards the lake. His story could be true but then again, he had a familiar look about him. She went to her horse and untied her, climbing aboard. After a day spent working inside a stuffy building baked by the heat, she felt more than ready for some cooling off. Back at the ranch, an inviting swimming pool awaited her so she headed back off in that direction.

* * *

Matt sat by the lake, fishing pole in hand wondering if he would get a bite. He had finished the fencing work and while Dylan and Lulu had headed back to the barn, he had continued onward to the lake to do what C.J. had advised him to do which was to relax and enjoy himself. He found himself a good shady spot and set down to hopefully catch some trout to cook up for dinner. Lulu's question still rankled him as he cast his line until he hit just the right spot. She had asked it innocently enough, when he had given her that lecture about the importance of friendship in relationships between men and women. And he never really answered it.

At first, he felt a wave of defensiveness rush through him because he had invited C.J. to attend social galas and charity events with him many times. Usually sandwiched in between his relationships with various women and when she hadn't been involved with a boyfriend. The way he saw it, is that they had fun together no matter how they spent their time. Whether they got dressed up and went to fancy events or kicked back and relaxed as they had often done on the ranch before he had moved to the city, it didn't really matter. But most of the women who had appeared in photographs with him that lit up society columns in publications hadn't been women that he had been seriously involved with, just women who he hit up when he needed a date, a woman on his arm. If the magazines made something out of their appearances at a social event together, he had nothing to do with that. And the more women he had been connected with through the gossip columns, the more women pursued him. After he had been written up in a popular weekly as the sexiest millionaire alive, he had practically had to get a new unlisted number. Not that it mattered because women by the droves had also called up his agency number, not to hire him for cases but to try to hook up with them for a casual affair, the chance to be the woman on his arm for a while.

But right now he had none of that to worry about because he had left the city and the frantic social scene behind to visit his friend on what used to be his ranch and he enjoyed the peace and quiet as well as the breather from life as one of L.A.'s most eligible bachelors.

"Catch anything," Matt heard a man say.

He looked up and saw what appeared to be one of the men who worked for his security firm.

"Not a bite yet," Matt said, "Have you set up operations?"

The man nodded.

"But I ran into your associate while I was scouting the ranch," he said, "I told her I was a hand looking for work."

Matt sighed, at the fact that the man who was working to help keep them safe from any revenge plot by Duval had just lied to his best friend about why she had seen him on her ranch. But he didn't want to ruin her excitement at renovating the ranch that she had come to in hopes of leaving the chaos of the city behind her and having her worry about Duval running around loose wouldn't help get him apprehended. So he had been keeping the information from her unless he absolutely had to spill it and he hoped that day never came. Hoyt and other law enforcement officers kept reassuring him that they would catch up to him soon. Still, Matt took no chances with his family, blood-relatives or not.

"Did she buy it?"

The man didn't look too sure and Matt's gut fell. He knew his best friend certainly was no fool and yet he had been deceiving her by not telling her the truth.

"She asked some questions," the man said, "but she seemed happy enough to see me on my way. She even gave me some references."

Matt scratched his head.

"Okay, just keep an eye on every possible entrance into this place," he said, "And try to do a better job keeping out of sight okay?"

The man nodded and moved back into the woody area which surrounded that part of the lake. Matt watched him go and knew he had narrowly avoided a close call because C.J. would never let him hear the end of it if she found out why strange men were appearing on her ranch. But he also knew he couldn't take any chances with her given that Duval had already targeted her once to use as leverage to get Matt to bend to his will. Clearly, he had done his homework to learn all about the woman who was both Matt's strength and his weakness. It had chilled him even today to think back to when he and C.J. had been flying off to the Bahamas to what C.J. had believed was a business meeting to invest in a resort spot nestled within the tropics and surrounded by the turquoise ocean. But Matt had decided that he had needed some time off to recuperate better from the shoulder injury he suffered when Marquis' son shot him at the gala several months earlier. He had noticed that C.J. had been tired from the long hours she had put in at the office since he had been shot and had arranged the trip. Sure, it had been likely that Houston Enterprises might find itself investing in the tourist industry of the Bahamas but this trip had really been mostly about rest and relaxation. And the chance to spend time with her away from the office, something he always looked forward to doing.

Matt felt a tug on his line so his focus turned back to fishing. So he didn't see what was running right towards him.

* * *

C.J. relaxed on the chair out by the pool. She had returned to the house, changed into her swimsuit and dove into the pool, slicing through its surface and relishing the cool rush of water underneath. She had swum some laps mostly to clear her head and then had pulled herself out of the pool to settle beneath the sun which soon dried her skin. She remembered how much time Matt had spent around his pool when he had the time. He had swum laps every morning before going to work and had sometimes brought his board meetings poolside. He had held barbecues where people chilled out to great Texan cuisine after an impromptu water volleyball game had turned fiercely competitive down to the final point. She hoped once she got the ranch fixed up and running again to return to honoring that tradition.

But for now, she felt content just to relax and not think about much except how good it felt to have the warmth of the day soothe her muscles. She knew since she had arrived here that she had worked herself very hard repairing fencing, fixing up the barn and doing some renovations in the ranch house. But at the same time, she almost felt lazy because she had put her more intellectual side on ice because except for helping her neighbors deal with their mortgages, she had left her legal career behind for now. And right now, she didn't miss it as much as she thought she would. She had thought she would be pacing the floor and bouncing off the walls to have not filed a legal brief or argued for a continuance inside a courtroom in over a month. But she had never felt so relaxed in years as she did right now, living each day as it came and keeping her focus on the ranch. Spending her days riding her horse and working surrounded by such beauty had brought real peace into her life.

Well except for one part of it.

She sighed as she relived her conversation with Slade the previous day. At first she thought he had been on the same page with her and when they were inside his house, on his couch, she thought it might work out between them. That they might be able to have a good time together and then walk away, their hearts still intact. But then Slade who had been kissing her one moment, broke away from her the next.

"What's wrong," she had said, looking at him.

He shook his head at her and got off the couch.

"I can't do this C.J.," he said after a moment.

She adjusted her position on the couch and touched her feet on the floor.

"Why not?"

He had run his hand through his hair.

"I need to think about this more," he said, "before we go any further."

She looked at him puzzled.

"Think about what," she said, "We're two consenting adults who are both single."

He just looked back at her as if she were some stranger.

"C.J., why are we really doing this?"

Thinking back to that moment, C.J. hadn't known where that question had come from but now she understood that it had echoed that inside her. Her only interest in Slade had been to have a good time with a great looking man and not have to worry about anything besides that. And when it came to men, she could do a lot worse than Slade. During their relationship, they had always enjoyed great chemistry together until it came time to discuss anything serious. She had believed that if she kept it casual with her ex, then she could have the relationship on her terms but Slade had nipped that to the bud quickly enough. His words had stung her but as they sunk in, she began asking herself the same question on the way back to her own ranch. She had nixed his offer to drive her home, opting instead to walk the distance back which gave her plenty of time to think.

It puzzled her that a guy like Matt could engage in one casual affair after another, seemingly unaffected by each one when they ended. That he could take a woman to his beach house or penthouse suite, and she could walk in the office for work the next day and he'd be kissing the woman goodbye. And that might be the last that C.J. or even Matt for that matter would see of her again. She had never been able to do that in her own relationships with men. Each one that departed her life in one way or another had hurt her. And that had made her more cautious the next time, had added one more piece to the armor which shielded her.

Even when a man attracted her, it took her time to warm up to him and when she fell in love, she went carefully. She chalked that up to losing her father when she had been a little girl and then being afraid that anyone she loved would be taken away from her. And that had happened to Carl, who had been murdered by a high school classmate who had been stalking her. Robert, well he had captured her heart quickly, sweeping her off of her feet. In his arms, she felt as if she had finally found someone who would stay. Of course while pursuing her, Robert had also been pursuing a lucrative news anchor job in New York City, a job he had been willing to kill to win. He had shot his accomplice in cold blood in front of an incredulous Matt and had tried to have him killed as well while he had been proposing marriage to her. After helping Matt and Roy bring him down, she had taken a difficult look at herself, at why she had overlooked Robert's duplicity when they had gotten together. How could she have been so blindsided that she would fall in love with a man who could so callously use and even kill people including Matt?

Then there had been Slade, back when he was trying to climb his way to Wall Street and then Randy, her last boyfriend, the one who had said as a parting shot…well never mind about that. She stood up and decided to take one last dip in the pool before heading back in the house to check the fax machine to see if the bank that held the mortgages of most of the ranches in the valley had responded to her letter.

* * *

Matt rode his horse back to the barn while still dripping wet. One moment he had been trying to reel a fish in on his line and the next…he had landed in the lake. And it wasn't until he heard a squealing noise and a lot of splashing that Matt realized he had been broadsided by Beulah who had obviously escaped her pen again and ran to the lake to take another dip. He didn't even try to catch the huge porcine but had climbed back to shore. Removing his shirt, he wrung it out and then decided to head back to the ranch and leave her the lake for her enjoyment.

Cheyenne gave him a funny look when he untied her reins and got in the saddle, taking off across the meadow.

Bo and Lamar met him in the ranch yard.

"Houston…you haven't by any chance seen…"

Matt interrupted.

"She's bathing in the lake," he said.

C.J. hearing the commotion in the barnyard had reached for her robe and shoes and had headed out to see what was going on. The sight of Matt on his horse caused her to do a double take. She always knew he had an impressive build but shirtless, she just stared at him. He had a muscular build but not the kind that could be earned at the gym. No, his had come from a lifetime spent working on the ranch and playing at different outdoor pursuits. When she saw it, it reminded her once again why the women couldn't stay away.

The rest of him looked like he had just been through a car wash without the car. He saw her expression and raised a brow.

"Cat got your tongue Miz Parsons?"

She stammered.

"No…not at all," she said, "What happened to you?"

Bo and Lamar looked at each other.

"He ran into Beulah at the lake," Bo explained, "I don't know how she keeps escaping."

"It's your fault," Lamar said, "for naming her after your ex-wife which gives her ideas."

C.J. looked at the both of them, taking her eyes off Matt. He kept looking at her while she tried to figure out what to do about the wayward pig.

"I guess she'll return when she's done with her swim," she said, "and no coyote will mess with her."

"Unless they're dumb," Bo agreed.

The two ranch hands walked to the barn still bickering while C.J. turned to face Matt.

"You'd better go change," she said, "I'll take your horse."

He raised that brow of his again.

"Dressed like that," he said, "Did I interrupt anything?"

She snorted.

"I was just swimming when I heard all this noise," she said, "At least I'm wearing a swimsuit and not my clothes when I decide to take a dip."

He smiled.

"Except for that time you and a bunch of your friends snuck into Watkins pond," he said.

Her face flushed.

"How do you know about that?"

It had been a dare that Julia had made and she hadn't wanted to back down so they had climbed the fence one afternoon and gone skinny dipping in a pond located in the back of a neighbor's property. She had unwound and enjoyed herself, secured in their privacy. Or so she had thought...

"The way you all carried on, it's a surprise that whole corner of Texas didn't know about it."

She tilted her head.

"How much did you see?"

He shrugged, trying to stifle a grin.

"That's for me to know and you to find out," he said, as he headed back towards his guest house while she watched, her mouth open.

The man even after all these years was still full of surprises. Well, so was she.


	19. Chapter 19

Here's another installment of this FF story up. Hope that you enjoy reading it and thanks for the feedback!

* * *

After showering, C.J. had checked her voice mail and had seen a phone call from Ruth Ann who had been upset by another letter she had received from the bank about her ranch. After speaking with her, C.J. had decided that an impromptu meeting with her and other ranchers was in order so she called them up and invited them to her home for some dinner and a meeting to discuss possible future strategies.

Of course, she had to actually cook dinner and get the house ready for her guests so she had Bo and Lamar go to the general store to get some hamburger meat and some proper fixings for dinner. She had called Slade to see if he would come, almost hoping that he had other plans after what didn't happen the other day, but naturally, he had been there and had picked up his phone. After hearing what had happened, he had of course agreed to drop on by for dinner. C.J. thought, well hoped actually, that she had recovered enough from that embarrassing afternoon with him because his financial background would prove to be very helpful during this meeting.

She had also placed a call to Matt's cell phone but in his case, had picked up his voice mail. Most likely he had showered after that dip he had taken in the lake courtesy of Beulah. The unrepentant pig had turned up at the barn again just in time for dinner. Bo and Lamar had scolded her but she paid them no more mind than her namesake had and settled down to root through her slop, contentedly.

"We could just put her on the grill and forget the burgers," Bo grumbled.

"Shhhhh," Lamar warned, "She might hear you."

Bo rejected his suggestion immediately, but Beulah appeared more interested in her eating than in what the two pesky men watching her had to say.

Leaving the pig in peace, the two ranch hands headed off to the store with C.J.'s grocery list. While waiting for their return, she had begun cutting up tomatoes and shredding lettuce to create fixings for the hamburgers. Lulu had shown up just in time from her chores in the barn to slice the onions that C.J. found in the pantry.

"So who's all coming," Lulu asked, "or should I ask?"

"Ruth Ann and her neighbors," C.J. said, "Everyone who received a warning letter from the bank."

"What about Slade," Lulu said, "Is he going to be here?"

C.J. nodded.

"He's the financial expert of this group," she said.

"But I thought he dumped you again," Lulu said, tossing the onion slices on a flat dish.

Huh, C.J. thought, word got around fast.

"Actually it was mutual this time," C.J. said, "It just wasn't going to work out."

"Because you like Matt better."

C.J. looked at the teenager who continued to slice the onions.

"It had nothing to do with him," she said, "and it's kind of personal."

Lulu shrugged.

"That's what everyone figured you would say…"

_Everyone? _

"Lulu, where have you been getting your information from," C.J. asked.

The girl shrugged again.

"I've got my sources," she said, "There are no secrets in the valley."

C.J.'s face flushed at that thought, the idea that everyone within shouting distance might know what had happened between her and Slade even though the truth had been, not much. Still, she wondered how this meeting would play out with the two of them in the same room. Toss the vacationing Matt in the mix and it could be quite a meeting, unless they stuck to the planned agenda. She would have to work hard to ensure that they didn't get …off-topic. Still being the subject of idle gossip irked her but what could she do about that?

"I can see that," C.J. answered, shaking her head.

* * *

The ranchers arrived, many bringing some food to add to what C.J. had prepared so that filled up several tables by the swimming pool. Matt had arrived to help her get ready for her guests and took over the grill from Bo and Lamar who gave it up quite willingly.

Slade arrived with a stack of books on finances and real estate to help with the research. C.J. told him they would be meeting outside after they had some dinner and to help himself to some food. Their hands touched when she took the books from him and she tried not to remember where they had been the day before, at least for a short time. She placed his things inside while Slade moved some chairs around a larger table. Matt had shot him a look when he had first arrived but said nothing, having to keep an eye on the frying burgers.

C.J. brought out the fixings for the hamburgers and Slade moved to help her.

"C.J. about yesterday…"

She shook her head, not wanting to discuss it.

"No Slade," she said, "You were right to stop it from going further. I would just really like to move on."

He nodded, a bit uncertainly.

"Okay…So how was your day today?"

She sighed, thinking that to be a much easier topic.

"I worked on the smaller stable and got a lot of work done today," she said, "Oh, and I ran into a man looking for some ranch work."

"Oh, is he local?"

She shook her head.

"I don't think so," she said, "but I mentioned that you might be looking for some extra help for your horses."

He nodded.

"It would really make a difference," he said, "I'm beginning to think I bit off more than I can chew."

If so, it wouldn't be the first time. She remembered how he had done that often enough in the financial industry but he had the acumen for business to always come out on top. Maybe he would find it in ranching too.

"I'll look out for him," Slade said.

Matt approached them, the two men naturally sizing each other up before either would settle down. C.J. looked from one to the other, amusement lighting up her face.

"You two aren't going to get yourselves in any trouble tonight are you," she asked, folding her arms.

Both men looked at each other and shook their heads.

"Good," she said, "Because Houston, I need you to serve the food and Slade if you want to help, you can serve the drinks."

Both men walked to their stations and did as she asked until all the guests had piled their plates up high and had found places to sit and chat casually. C.J. sat in her chair, eating her hamburger and reading through some of the most recent letters that the ranchers like Ruth Ann had received from the bank. She frowned at some of the language the letters contained. Matt came over and sat in a nearby chair, his plate piled high with his typical double cheese burger with all the fixings that could be crammed between two buns.

"What have you got there," he asked.

She kept reading through the letter frowning.

"I think that this guy's got to be in cahoots with the developer," C.J. mused, "Maybe they've worked out some arrangement between them."

"It wouldn't be the first time," Matt said, "Some of our competitors used the same tactics."

She looked up at him, knowing that his own corporation had always conducted its business deals up front and had always treated people fairly. When any members of Matt's board of directors or any of his financial staff members placed profits over people, he had always called them on it and she had loved him for it. But most of the rest of the world didn't operate in that fashion, especially in the arena of high financial investments. Business deals were often cut quite ruthlessly, and qualities like compassion and fairness more often than not were kicked to the curb. But Matt hadn't played by those rules and in fact, had broken more than a few of them and his conglomerate had grown over time and had thrived in the Fortune 100. Still, she believed that the cold calculation of the transfers of millions even billions of dollar sometimes in exchange for people's souls had pushed Matt into giving up his day to day operations of his corporation and had shifted his energies towards helping people through his charity foundations and his investigative agency. But in the meantime, the business world kept spinning around them, not that she needed to remind him of that. Still…

"These guys don't have the same scruples Houston," she said, "All they care about are profits. I just can't figure out what they want to build out here. Not exactly the best spot to put up a shopping mall."

Matt couldn't understand it either but it must be something lucrative for them to be so eager to pick up the parcels for as cheap as possible from the bank after it foreclosed on some of these ranchers. They'd kick these long-time land owners to the curb for as cheaply as possible which would only add to their profit margins when they completed their construction a year or two down the line.

"There are a couple different kinds of projects they could be considering," he said, "It might require going to the county clerk and getting copies of the general plan for this area, zoning standards…See how far they've gotten."

"Right now, it's just ranch land Houston," she said, "So it's zoned for rural use."

He considered that, and she watched him while he did that. She liked watching his mind work but truth be told, she enjoyed the view. She noted how much more relaxed he looked miles away from the urban lifestyle and back at the ranch and the way that his clothing molded to his strong build didn't hurt either. She could easily see why her best friend attracted women in droves wherever he went but it was his easygoing manner and genuine affection for them that kept them there.

"You look nice tonight," she said, and he did in his worn jeans and one of his favorite jerseys from when he placed football during his university days. Didn't his clothing…oh scratch that thought out of her head right now. They were supposed to be focusing on the business end of ranching in the vanishing West, where ranch land which had been held by the same families for generations had been encroached upon by increasing urbanization of this region of the state as real estate prices had skyrocketed.

Matt looked at her in her dress jeans and flowered blouse, which fit her perfectly. Though to him it didn't matter what she wore, she looked beautiful in anything and even better…he cleared his throat cutting off that channel of thought. He sipped his iced tea to regain his train of thinking which was supposed to be on real estate 101, not one of his favorite topics in business school. In fact, one of his MBA professors had tutored him on the ins and outs of it…privately.

He coughed.

"So do you."

Actually those wouldn't have been his exact choice of words, but he had been about to step into some serious trouble. He could see that the timbre of his voice got his message across. She looked away so he wouldn't see the hint of pink in her face. After all, he certainly was a man built in all the right places and he took great care of himself when he wasn't getting shot or into physical confrontations with bad guys. Shelia's words came to mind but she dismissed them quickly enough. She had already practically thrown herself at one good looking guy in the past 24 hours; she wasn't going for any type of record at rejection. She really had to get her mind back on real estate and tax law and off of everything and everyone else. Really, she shouldn't let Shelia's words give her any ideas.

Slade brought over his food after having served up all the drinks and sat next to C.J. She looked up at him and sighed, thinking that when it came to filling out his more newly adopted uniform of jeans and checkered shirts, he flattered them as much as he did three piece suits in his old life. He just looked at her and smiled, laying his full plate on his lap. She turned her face towards the pool.

"You were right about those yearlings by the way," he said, casually.

She looked at him puzzled and then she remembered. The guy had clearly picked up an eye for great horse flesh quickly enough and he had the money to spend. The yearlings she had seen yesterday had been truly outstanding in confirmation and in fluidity of movement. But they were still like unformed blocks of marble that had to be sculpted into something truly impressive.

"I wouldn't be surprised if you get top dollar for them at auction," she said, "but you've got to put some work into them."

Slade sighed.

"Training horses has never been one of my strong points," he said, "My background is still in business."

Matt shrugged.

"So's mine," he said, "But I've been riding and training horses since I could walk."

C.J. looked over at her friend who had taken to chewing his burger nonchalantly, while Slade fell silent.

"Slade, you don't have to do it yourself," she said, casting Matt a sharp look, "Not everyone's hands on with everything, if you can find a good wrangler…"

Slade brightened and nodded.

"That would be very helpful if you have any references," he said.

Matt sipped his tea, not his drink of choice but the beer that he had chilling on ice would have to wait until later. By then, he had a feeling he would need a cold one.

"Some of us prefer to be hands on," he said, "Makes for better conditioning of the horse and if you want them to be prize winners on the circuit or just useful on the ranch, a little bit of a personal touch goes a long way."

C.J. rubbed her brow.

"Houston, however way he chooses to deal with his own horses," she said, "I'm sure it will work out well for him. Slade's been pretty successful at everything he's been involved in."

Matt raised a brow. C.J. knew the question behind it and just flashed an irritated look back at him. Really she didn't know why he had been behaving this way. She knew he had never really warmed up to Slade the few times they had crossed paths but she hoped now that they were in closer proximity to each other, they'd be friendlier. At least make an effort to be civil, to be doing something other than comparing caliber size.

"I'm sure I will be," Slade said, confidence milking his voice, "They're the best stock out there and I'm sure I'll find the right person to help me with them."

Matt didn't doubt that there were horse experts out there, but he couldn't cotton a man who would buy some of the most expensive horse flesh out there and then hand it off to some stranger to mold the talent they had inherited into winning form.

"Well if you ever need any help…"

Slade looked up at C.J. and broke into a smile.

"That'd be mighty nice of you to offer your assistance," he said.

She shook her head.

"I wasn't offering to help you Slade," she said, "I was offering to provide you with that list of referrals you asked for."

Matt stifled some serious laughter at the expression on Slade's face when she had corrected him. But what did the man expect after how he had treated her? Not that Matt hadn't been felt relief unexpectedly fill him after C.J. told him that she hadn't gotten back together with her ex-boyfriend, but she deserved better than a man who hadn't had the good sense to know a good thing when it was right in front of him.

They continued eating and chatting about the weather, which had been pretty temperate for this time of year. C.J. had believed that it was a safe topic.

"I heard it's going to be a scorcher in the valley for the rest of the month," Slade said, "My hands have been taking their breaks midday and then working longer in the evening when it cools down."

Matt shrugged.

"I never believe those weather reports," he said, "It's about that time of year when the monsoons roll in and that could mean some flooding on Eagle Ridge."

Slade furrowed his brow.

"Are you sure," he said, "I mean the people who predict the weather aren't just a bunch of talking heads. They have degrees in meteorology even PhDs."

Matt leaned back in his chair stretching his jean clad legs in front of him.

"That's all well and good," he said, "but yesterday, I saw a flock of birds taking off like gangbusters…and that usually means rain's coming."

C.J. looked back and forth between the two of them.

"If you're going to challenge each other on the weather," she said finally, "Why don't you both put some money on the table over it?"

Matt scratched the back of his head.

"That's not a bad idea," he said, "10 bucks says that it rains this weekend."

Slade didn't look so sure. C.J. knew that he didn't appear to be a gambling man. Still, Matt's challenge had become visible in his eyes and he started to reach for his wallet. She held up her hands.

"Wait, the two of you," she said, "We're about to conduct a meeting here and I'm going to need both of you to lend your areas of expertise to addressing what's happening with these families and their ranches."

Both men looked at her attentively and then nodded. She breathed a sigh of relief.

"We're about finished here," she said, standing up, "and start getting down to business."

C.J. washed the dishes, having sent Lulu on home after the meeting. Matt had gone back to the guest house, she guessed to unwind from what had transpired. The strategic planning with the ranchers had gone fairly well and she had generated enough input from them to shoot off another letter to the bank's management after getting some figures faxed to her by Murray.

* * *

As she rinsed the dishes and put them away, she thought about the interplay between Matt and Slade, two men who probably had more in common than either realized. Matt had been pretty much his laid back self, looking more than amused at Slade's challenges. C.J. didn't know if Slade were having second thoughts about not taking her up on her offer to get back together in a very different way. If so, it didn't matter because she had decided that it had worked out for the best. She would leave him and other men to the women who could handle them and focus on fixing up her ranch and tending to her horses, cattle, ranch hands and the family of cats in her barn. Life was just much more simple that way, she kept telling herself.

* * *

Matt opened up his third beer, and swallowed it down. It didn't affect him anymore than the first two had after he had left the meeting and came back to the guest house to kick back on the porch and watch the view. Of course, the stars and pale sliver of a moon were impressive indeed, but he kept thinking back to C.J. He knew that Slade had been making a play for her again while talking about his yearlings, even after he had turned away from her the previous day. To her credit, C.J. had handled it as he usually handled people, deftly and without leaving them feeling the worse for wear. And she had looked very good doing it, he thought sipping his beer again.

Something scurried in the bushes unseen and Matt sat up straight, remembering again why he was here. Oh partly, to relax and enjoy his ranch again with his closest friends but also because a ruthless terrorist ran around loose. Matt had no doubt that Marquis fit the bill, having seen how close that man had been on the brink of killing both him and C.J. and how he had used his closeness with his friend against him. One of the lowest points of his life had been when he had woken up on the couch of his penthouse suite with a sore shoulder and vague memories of having been somewhere else. Someplace both beautiful and deadly, someplace unknown and uncharted where C.J. waited, being held captive for him to return with Marquis' son. He had recanted his testimony to a federal judge and then had been confronted by Vince outside the courthouse by the fountain, where the two men argued bitterly and Vince had punched him in the jaw before walking off. Matt had just sat where he had fallen, having lost a close friend in a probably futile effort to save the life of the woman who meant more to him than anyone.

Matt sipped his beer again. He and Vince of course had patched things up and had together outsmarted Marquis and his son to rescue C.J. and they had returned to L.A. believing they had put that nightmare behind them. Only to find…Matt refused to allow for the possibility that Marquis would ever the advantage over him again.

The security he had assigned to watch over the perimeters of the ranch would do their job and would alert him immediately if they saw any suspicious activity or sign that Marquis had decided to drop on by to pay a visit. More than a pang of guilt hit Matt as he realized that he hadn't told C.J. that one of their greatest enemies had escaped from prison and then had disappeared in the crowd. But he hadn't wanted to worry her, not when she had been so happy about buying his ranch and working on it. He had to admit she had done a great job, better than he ever could to restore vitality to the place they both loved.

He heard some branches crackle and he looked up, his eyes blinking as he saw C.J. come up the steps to the porch. Matt had been so lost in his thinking, he hadn't even noticed. If it had been Marquis…but no it had been someone much better. He relaxed, put his beer down and smiled at her. She looked at him, more carefully, remaining just above the last step.

"Hey what are you doing," he said, "I thought you would have hit the spa and been on the phone with your friend."

She smiled wider.

"I thought I'd head in early," she said, "but I wanted to check on you."

He lifted his brows.

"Check on me, why?"

She hesitated, pushing her hair off of her shoulders.

"After what happened…"

Oh he meant between him and Slade. The display they had both put on in front of her.

"C.J., that was nothing," he said, "Just about horses and the weather."

She folded her arms and tilted her head.

"Houston, remember this is me you're talking to," she said, "I know that you two aren't good friends…"

He sighed.

"No but then we don't really know each other," he pointed out.

She looked at him directly.

"He…I might not be getting back together in any way, shape or form, but he's really not a bad guy," she said, "And he's my neighbor and a great help with the ranchers so It'd be a lot better if we could all move forward."

Matt considered that and nodded.

"Like you have done," he said, "Okay as long as he remembers that."

C.J. looked at him, hearing the resolution in his voice then shook it off. Often enough, he had tried to fight her battles for her but that generally didn't include her relationships. They looked at each other for a long while, each of them not sure what to say next. And neither sure why after years of easy communication between the two of them that those words were now elusive.

Finally she turned her eyes away and started to leave. Then she paused.

"I'll be out working on the stable tomorrow," she said.

"And you don't want me near it because it's supposed to be a surprise…"

She nodded.

"I'll let you see it when its finished."

He smiled, looking forward to it. As for him, he would put in a few hours of finishing up the fencing and then would call back to L.A. to find out the latest information on Duval before briefing the security team.

"Then I guess this is goodnight," she said.

He may have nodded but he had noticed something else, the way that the moonlight caught her mahogany hair and how her hazel eyes sparkled when her lips curled up in a smile.

As she left to go back to the ranch house, he thought about the danger that existed out there somewhere and that which existed much closer to home.


	20. Chapter 20

Here's another installment of this story. Hope you enjoy it and thanks for reading and your comments!

* * *

C.J. woke up with a start in her bed, not so sure that he hadn't just been there with her. She still felt the imprint of him strongly etched in her memory, to where he still felt so real. Only the quietness of the dark room met her gaze, as she looked around for him, the man who had invaded her dreams. Her skin still tingled where she had been so sure his fingers had been caressing it yet no hint of his aftershave lingered around her. So she had imagined it, she thought.

She sank back in her bed, her arm over her face as something akin to mortification filled her, along with what felt like a deep release that felt suspiciously like she'd gained a reprieve. Just a moment he had been there in front of her, kissing her while she had her arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him closer to her, reveling in his scent. His chest had pressed against her own while they kissed. The contact between them so complete she could feel his heartbeat quicken, keeping time with her own no doubt as his hands slipped beneath her shirt. That memory still lingered behind even as its immediacy faded away and her eyes began to adjust to the dimness of the room.

Wait a minute; they hadn't been here in this bedroom at all. They had been…let's see…someplace awfully familiar, but smaller, with a gentler halo of light around them. They had started kissing, she hadn't remembered why and then he had nudged her towards the bed, wait that had been the point when she knew she had been dreaming because she hadn't tried to stop him. Then well they had…oh my god, how could this be happening, she thought.

After all, best friends couldn't be lovers…could they?

* * *

Matt had thought something had looked odd about her when he saw her walking out to the barn to saddle up Chelsea to ride out to the stable to begin another day of fixing that place up. He had kept away from it himself, honoring her wishes to surprise him with the finished product. But still, he had been a bit curious as to why she had wanted to keep it secret from him. As for himself, he had fixed himself a lunch and would saddle one of his geldings to take out to the lake where he had decided to repair the old dock where he had kept his boat when he lived here. The lake which bordered the ranch was large enough to do some pretty good sailing when the wind hit the valley just right and he had enjoyed many an afternoon out relaxing on his sailboat when the wind had calmed down enough so that he would lower the anchor.

He ran into her in the barn while she had tacked up Chelsea who had tossed up her head this morning clearly feeling a bit spirited. C.J. patted her neck patiently, while adjusting her cinch. Matt looked over at her from where he worked on his gelding.

"I should get the dock started today," he said, "I might need to replace some of the rotted wood."

She nodded absently, still tending to the horse.

"And then it will probably withstand the elements much better if I waterproof it," he continued, "That will save replacing it every 10 years."

"Mmmm…," she responded while checking the bit again in Chelsea's mouth.

He threw his reins up over his gelding.

"And then I might just strip my clothes off and jump right in the lake…"

She looked up suddenly from her horse and he raised his brows at her, his mouth hinting at a smile. He knew that would grab her away from wherever her mind had wandered.

"What…oh, I guess I haven't been paying attention," she said, "Sorry about that…I've just had a lot on my mind."

He looked over at her, thinking if that were true, it sure didn't show on her face. She looked relaxed and happy standing there getting ready for a good day's work and riding.

"Like all this renovation," he asked, "or other subjects."

She looked at him for a moment, knowing what he was getting at, so she turned around and faced him.

"Houston, I've already put that behind me and I'm ready to move on," she said, "Hey, it's Slade's loss after all."

He smiled at her, as she looked back at him expectantly for more of an argument but the morning just looked too nice for that.

"It certainly is," he said finally.

She looked up at him startled, and almost said something but shook her head and returned to her mare who danced on her feet.

They both took their horses outside the barn. The sun already shone brightly, hinting at another scorcher ahead of them. C.J. didn't mind because she'd be inside the stable most of the day and as long as she kept it ventilated, it would provide some relief.

"Well you have a great day," Matt said, "and I'll see you later."

She nodded and got on Chelsea, pulling the reins in.

"I'll see you later," she said, "Keep out of trouble."

Matt started to get on his horse after she rode off towards the meadow but his cell phone rang. Damn, he thought, pulling it out to look at the Caller ID.

Hoyt.

He clicked his phone open and put it to his ear.

"What's going on Hoyt," he asked.

"Good morning to you Houston," his friend said, "You sound a bit tense."

"It's a beautiful day out here," Matt said, "But there's a terrorist running around and I'm assuming that you're not calling me out here to invite me to brunch."

Hoyt sighed.

"No I'm not Houston," he said, "I just got off the phone with the feds and there's still no sign of Duval anywhere. The Customs Officials up at Canada and down on the Mexican border haven't seen him."

"Well that's not surprising," Matt said, "Because we both know he's got business to conduct here before he disappears into the world."

Hoyt paused.

"Something did come up," he said, "The FBI did get a report of a red flag."

Matt figured as much.

"What happened?"

"They detected a large sum of cash being wired into a Cayman Island bank account," Hoyt said, "There's an alias attached to it but it smells like Duval."

So Marquis had wired some money he had stashed somewhere into an offshore bank account. Matt didn't know what that meant without further information. Was he putting his hoard some place safe to access when he did leave the country or, a dose of apprehension worked its way in Matt's mind, was he going to use it to get some hired help?

"It might not mean anything involving you," Hoyt said, "It might just be signs he's interested in returning to his old line of work."

"He could be hiring hit men to go after the people I care about Hoyt," Matt said, "Roy and Will are safe where they are surrounded by plenty of security."

"What about you and C.J.?"

"We're okay here," Matt said, "She's been busy fixing up the ranch and I've got security watching any way on the ranch."

"It's a pretty large spread isn't it?"

Matt patted his horse's neck. He knew what Hoyt was getting at, meaning that even with 100 men, a crafty man like Marquis could still find a way to strike.

"I'll be ready for him if he decides to drop by," Matt said, "I know every inch of this place and I'm not letting him come anywhere near C.J."

"Did you ever tell her he got loose?"

Matt rubbed his forehead and his silence answered Hoyt's question.

"Damn it Houston," Hoyt said, "You know better than to keep something like this from her."

"I can handle it Hoyt," Matt said, "Besides C.J.'s got enough on her plate with her work helping the ranchers with the bank and getting this place up and running again."

"She's really turned her back on L.A.?"

Matt watched as Bo and Lamar walked into the barn.

"I can't say I'd blame her if she did that," he said, "But I think she just needs some down time away from that hectic lifestyle to figure some things out."

Hoyt chuckled.

"That sounds more like you."

Matt felt some irritation bubbling, but then reason took hold and he knew there was truth in his friend's words. If C.J. had felt at loose ends, that went double for him, and he had made some decisions that looking back, hadn't been wise. Hiring his old buddy Zach to work with him, the man who had turned his back on C.J. when she had needed him most and whose ideas for the future of Matt's business had clashed with his own. He hadn't heard from Zach since he had fired him and he hoped to keep it that way.

"I might be doing some thinking of my own," he said, "Listen Hoyt, I got to go but call me back if there are any more developments…"

"Sure thing Houston."

Matt put his phone away and got on the gelding, taking off towards the lake.

* * *

C.J. put the hammer down and looked at her work. The siding on the stall that had been loose appeared more secured now and she knew that a few more pieces and it would be looking much better. She had gotten quite a bit of the interior done inside the grooms headquarters and tack room and still had to work on some of the stalls. And with each nail she lined up and then hit with her hammer, she had put her focus on the task. Anything to keep her mind off of…well that dream she had last night. What in the hell had she been thinking just before sleep had taken her away? Thinking back, it had all seemed fuzzy. She had a nightcap before heading off to her bed and had been thinking about fixing these damn stalls the next day. Then…the next thing she knew…her cheeks flushed at the thought. She and Matt wrapped up in each other's arms and she hadn't put her hands against her chest to stop him.

Maybe it had been the wine.

The sunlight flowed through the window in the barn as she continued working; sweat beading on her face and the faded smell of alfalfa hay and horses still hanging in the air. She and Matt had many good memories of coming out here to give the horses that lived in the stalls some exercise, and then there had been the time when Matt had acquired an ex-rodeo bronco named Gutbuster who he had picked up for real cheap at an auction. Matt had bid in the final seconds to prevent the horse from being sold for horse meat and then set about to try and tame the willful stallion so that he could ride him and liberate some of his friends from their cash. He did do that and eventually had worked with the horse enough so that Gutbuster now spent his days working as a trail horse for a wilderness operation up in Montana, as happy as could be a horse who had looked death in the eye and won.

If she hadn't loved him already, she would have fallen for him for that one simple act of saving Gutbuster and then helping him find a new life. She hadn't even minded losing her $10 for him in a side bet that he couldn't ride the horse, not that she had ever bet against him again. Not against his ability to help turn someone's life around, whether it be a person or a horse destined for the slaughter house.

Maybe that was why…she shook her head to get her mind back where it belonged on her work. She wanted to get the stable ready to present to Matt to see his reaction. She hoped he would love what she had done with it.

* * *

Matt knelt by the part of the dock that remained on dry land and looked ruefully at the portion which crossed a section of the lake. He would need to don a much older pair of jeans and shirt before he would tackle that part of the job. And he might need some help from someone else to hold a portion of the unstable structure while he secured the newly added parts. But right now, he had tackled the easier part of the job and enjoyed the warmth of the sun on his back before it turned brutal. The lake, naturally looked inviting and he saw ripples across it where he knew fish swam below the surface waiting to be caught. C.J. and he had spent hours sitting on the grassy bank doing some fishing but mostly talking, accentuated by plenty of laughter. The kind that relaxed you and make you feel weak for a split second, while you caught your breath again.

He had noticed the funny looks that she had thrown his way by the barn and wondered if he had done or said anything wrong, like the night before, like about her ex-boyfriend Slade and how he didn't feel as if the business whizz turned rancher really deserved her. He had spoken the truth and couldn't find anything wrong with that, she deserved a man much better than one who didn't know what was right in front of him.

He had packed a lunch and that would keep him happy until dinner time so he would put in a few more hours before heading back. While riding, the area surrounding him had appeared undisturbed save for several birds singing in the trees and small critters scrambling around in the brush. None of his security men had appeared but Matt felt that they were there, looking out for any sign of Marquis and he had them on speed dial on his phone and so did they. He had told Hawk to keep close to the stable where C.J. worked and make sure she remained safe. Hawk had nodded and Matt trusted him, having known the older man while working in military intelligence.

He heard the sound of hoof beats and part of him hoped…well that it would be a certain woman checking up on him but he looked up and saw that Dylan had actually managed to climb on the palomino gelding that Matt had won in a poker match and approached him, seemingly if not at ease on horseback at least not like a greenhorn.

He stood up and brushed his hands on his jeans.

"What's up Dylan," he asked.

Dylan dismounted and tied up his horse near Matt's.

"I'm done with the tack," he said, "So Lulu's helping Bo in the garden and Lamar told me to come out and give you a hand."

Matt read more on the young man's face than just that.

"And you needed some breathing room," he guessed.

Dylan looked at him, his eyes lighting up in surprise but then he nodded.

"Lulu's a cool chick and all that," he said, "but she's busy with the questions."

Matt nodded.

"She seems to like you," he said, "Nothing wrong with that."

Dylan appeared uncomfortable.

"I like her but she comes on a little bit…strong."

Matt shrugged.

"She's new at all this just like you are," he said, "Trying to make a good impression like you are with her and she's not the type to be shy about how she feels about people who matter to her."

"I know but…"

Matt slapped his shoulder.

"You'll figure it out," he said, "You're young and you both have your whole lives ahead of you. But it might help if you tell her how you feel…though come on easy so you can let her know without hurting her feelings."

"I figured you'd say that," Dylan said, "I don't want to do that. I do like her. She just comes on a bit strong."

Matt suppressed a chuckle, remembering what it had been like when he had been Dylan's age. Young girls had flocked around him when he began to fill out his frame in his final years of high school, and being young and feeling his oats, he had enjoyed the attention. And endured more than a small dose of teasing about it by C.J. during that time in their lives.

Even as a grownup, he had continued to sow more than a few of those oats, because he enjoyed the company of women so much. Oh there had been a few serious relationships, a couple of engagements but in between, he had very happily played the field. Lately though, he had begun to look back at his relationship history, wondering if he wanted to continue down this road any longer. He wasn't getting younger and maybe it was start to get serious about finding a woman, settling down and having some kids. Maybe not today, maybe not next week but…within the next five years or so, he could focus more energy on that. That sounded like a plan and in the meantime…

Dylan had quit working on the dock when the sun began to hit them in earnest and the sky shown a bright blue interrupted only by tufts of white speckled across the sky. He went to get his lunch and sat under the tree where Dylan had lain out as if taking a nap. Not a bad idea, Matt thought. He might try it, given how much he had been tossing and turning last night. Not thinking about anything in particular, some fleeting thoughts about the work left in L.A., some lingering concerns about Marquis running around unseen and…about Slade of course. He had no problems with the guy as long as he didn't hurt his best friend. And Slade's financial background had proven to be a great help to C.J. in her work with the ranchers. Still…

Matt shook off that thought and lay back on the grass, the scent of it drawing him in, to where he found his eyes closing. A few minutes of rest wouldn't hurt.

* * *

C.J. sighed, still breathing hard after having pushed her weight against one of the stall doors to get it open. The hinges had rusted some time ago and she planned to replace them and then to realign the door so it closed snugly. But it had proven stubborn at getting open and when she had done it, she had wiped her face with the back of her hand and reached for her water bottle. She had been working for hours and felt the warmth of the stable intensify as the day crept inside. Taking a final look inside, she decided to call it a day and got ready to leave. On an impulse, she changed her mind about heading back to the ranch house and decided to head to the lake, knowing that there was plenty of shaded area for her to relax. Maybe even take a dip near the shore to cool off a bit. She packed up Chelsea's saddle bag and climbed back in the saddle, giving the stable one last look. She smiled, noting that it looked nicer than it had before she started. She wondered what Matt would think when he saw it when she finished. Looking at her watch, she wondered if he were still at the lake working on the dock. A flash from her dream last night appeared before her eyes and she put it out of her mind. Definitely had to in case he still was at the lake. Some things a woman had to keep private from her closest friend and provocative dreams surely fell in that category.

She chirped to her horse and set off towards the lake.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21 is up finally as I've been pretty busy. I hope you enjoy it and thanks for reading and the comments!

* * *

When he heard what she had whispered, while he stroked her hair back off of her face, his eyes had blinked in surprise. He looked into her eyes, and she nodded with a smile that sent a charge right through him.

"Are you sure," he asked again, his voice choked by emotion.

She had rolled her eyes at him, her lips curling into a smile and tilting her head, she nodded. He hadn't been sure that what had been happening in front of him was real, until she met his gaze with her own while her hands moved to her blouse and she began to undo the buttons one by one. The first one showed the hollow where her collarbones met, the next a hint of lace…light powder blue in fact. And so a question that had lingered in his mind longer than he would ever admit had been answered. He felt his own hands moving towards her blouse of their own accord.

"Allow me…"

She happily surrendered, closing her eyes and biting her lip as he continued undoing her blouse, revealing more of that lacey camisole which hugged her figure, accentuating her breasts. She allowed him to slip her blouse over her shoulders, until she clearly grew impatient and wrapped her arms around him pulling him for the kiss that they both had been waiting for…

* * *

C.J. rode through a pasture, feeling the heat of the day on her back. Her favorite hat had sheltered her face, but sweat began dampening her shirt again as she rode Chelsea to the lake. Each moment that passed, cemented her decision that she relax there in the shade for a while. She had completed enough work for one day and her muscles began to ache. In a couple of days, she would finish renovating the stable and would show it to Matt and the other hands, to see what they would think of her work. She thought she had showed some incredible discipline by suppressing any urges to make major changes in the décor of the rooms in the back, but except for perhaps adding some curtains, she didn't want to strip them of their confident masculinity.

The lake beckoned to her when her eyes first found it, a bright blue surrounded by various shades of brown and green, with plenty of trees who found nourishment from it much more readily than in the surrounding area. Matt had used it mainly for fishing and for sailing, and had installed a small mooring dock which had fallen into disrepair since he hadn't been living at the ranch. That's the task he had assigned himself that day, to repair the damaged portions and she had gratefully handed it over to him, crossing another item to address off of her growing list. When she arrived at the lake, she looked around for Matt or his horse. She found the horse grazing near a tree, happily and dismounted from Chelsea tying her up nearby.

She still couldn't see Matt and figured perhaps he had gone for a walk around the lake, a routine he often practiced back when he had lived here. But the sun had baked the valley and the dry heat had probably driven many a creature indoors. Shaking her head, she headed towards the lake shore, after removing her boots when she hit the sandy strip. She saw that Matt had made great progress with the dock and gingerly stepped up on it, noticing that it held fast under her feet. She sat down on it and dangled her feet, closing her eyes as they broke through the chilled water. Rushing back with that sensation were the hours she had spent by this lake, fishing with Matt or just laying back on the shore, looking at the sky. Most of the year, the water proved to be too cold for swimming but occasionally she and Matt would take a brief dip during the hottest hours of the afternoon for some quick relief.

Matt…damn it had become so difficult to think about him this morning without…a hint of color flushed her cheeks. She had thought about him throughout the day, even when she had been trying hard not to. Just like the exercise where someone would tell you to think of anything but a pink elephant, knowing that would make your mind focus on the off limits topic even more. It's not that she had never dreamed about him before and dreams really didn't mean anything at all, in fact they couldn't even be taken literally. Still it had seemed so real, it had felt like he had been in the room with her and she had been surprised when she had opened her eyes and he hadn't been there. And a part of her had felt disappointed.

She felt the soothing coolness of the water work its magic on her feet and she closed her eyes, thinking back to all the years that she had known him. Back when they had met on the elementary school playground after she had defended herself against the school bully who had cornered her in the yard on her first day, demanding her lunch money. She had refused to hand it over, and when he had tried to force the money away from her, she had decked him. But not before he had knocked her down and had tried to pin her on the ground. After she had dazed him, she had seen a hand extended towards her and looked up and saw that it had been Matt. A boy in her class who had friends, yet somehow managed as she would learn later to keep a side hidden from nearly everyone stemming from a traumatic experience he had lived through when he was younger. It didn't take very long at all for them to cement their friendship.

In high school, he had been the captain of his football team which had won the all-state championship his final two years with him its quarterback and he had been one of the most popular students in his class. She had gone to another school and had been graduated as the class valedictorian and president of the Honor Society. Their lives had been so different and had diverged even further when they had been at Rice University, but it had never affected their friendship. They had taken time whenever they had it to spend together between his athletic pursuits on the gridiron and her academics and pledging a sorority.

She looked back out into the lake and thought that it looked awfully inviting. Getting up, she walked off of the dock and towards the shoreline, rolling up her pant legs and entering the lake.

Matt sat up suddenly, noticing that the air hadn't begun to cool yet. But he knew that it hadn't just been the sunlight beating down that had made him feel that way. He looked around him and saw just the open meadow and then looked at his watch. He clearly had drifted off the sleep for about an hour and had been dreaming about the woman he had known most of his life doing things with her that they didn't while they were awake. He ran his hands through his hair and felt the remnants of his dream fade away, trying to bring him back to the present day, where the two of them had a relationship with boundaries attached that they had established years ago, an agreement that had served them well over the years or so they both believed. Well, she believed it anyway; lately Matt hadn't been so sure.

He got back on his feet, reluctantly because outside the shaded area, heat had settled in the air and the breeze while providing some relief proved fickle. His brows rose when he looked over at his horse and recognized Chelsea standing next to him. That meant that C.J. must be in the vicinity somewhere. Probably close to the lake, so he headed in that direction.

* * *

C.J. went far enough into the lake where its gently rippling waves soaked the bottom of her pants. She reached down to splash water on herself knowing that the afternoon soon would dry it off. The weather lately, well they were in the valley after all and lucky to welcome any sea breezes at all. She thought back to the work that she had completed and even though she still had more days of it ahead, it had been a long time since she had felt so good. Not that she didn't love working as an attorney, not to mention spending days and often evenings working with her best friend on his cases but she definitely needed a reprieve from that life. Some time away to think about what she wanted including in her relationships. She sighed as her memory returned to when Slade had accused her of treating him like a less than serious fling. Who would have thought that after dumping her, he would be only interested in a serious relationship? But she had gone down that road with him already and with other guys, she enjoyed men's company but a break from serious relationships was one of the things she had believed she had needed when she returned to the ranch.

Then what about Matt, the man of her most recent dreams? She ran her hand through her hair, dampening it slightly and thought that there hadn't ever been anything so perfect. At least in the refuge of her sleep but during the waking hours…things between them were both simple and very complicated. And Shelia's words to her to throw caution in the wind and pursue her best friend were duly noted but…C.J. didn't think she could go very far even in her own mind without hitting the barriers that both of them had erected over the years. And to be honest, she had put up more than her fair share of them.

After all, she had put up the barriers when in the middle of solving a case on a cruise ship, they had shared a rather steamy kiss from the balcony of their suite when they should have been staking out the Lido deck. And what about on the dance floor…which they had fallen into an impromptu slow number because their client's boss had been trading some company secrets while dancing to Sade at one of L.A.'s top night clubs. C.J.'s brow furrowed trying to remember which one of them had put a halt to either one of those situations and then that's when the trip to Martha's Vineyard to well, investigate the sabotaging of a top…vineyard had led to them being locked in a winery for several hours…nothing had happened there, at least not physically but the discussion had become quite emotionally charged mostly because Matt had broken up with a socialite not long before they took that case.

The water felt good on her skin, so C.J. reached up and scooped some more in her hands. The lake had always been one of her favorite places when she had needed to go off by herself and do some deep thinking disguised as relaxation.

* * *

Matt looked up and saw her standing in the water, obviously enjoying the escape that it offered from the heat. Her hair was in ringlets around her shoulders and a smile lit her face.

"Hey C.J.," he said as he approached, "You've been slacking on the job?"

She turned to him and rolled her eyes.

"Hardly, I've finished most of the stalls," she said, "Only got a couple more to do."

He nodded.

"So when are you going to show it to me?"

She tilted her head.

"When it gets finished," she said, "You'd better not be sneaking over there and taking a peek."

He chuckled and raised his hands.

"I've not been near the place," he said, "though I have to admit, you keeping it a secret has got me real curious."

She shook her head.

"You just stay away until I'm ready to bring you there myself," she said, and then reached down to splash more water on herself.

"You seem to be having some fun there," Matt said, "You planning on doing any swimming?"

She put her hands on her hips.

"Are you crazy," she said, "The water's too cold for that right now. Even during a scorcher like this."

His brows rose.

"Looks like the perfect day for it to me."

She snorted.

"Then why don't you show me," she said, "And then I'll make my decision."

She eyed his movements carefully, suddenly not trusting him as he stepped into the shallow water to join her.

"So I see you've been working on the dock," she said, "So far it's looking pretty good."

He looked over at it.

"Yeah, a lot of the wood had rotted," he said, "but I've done the part closest to land. I'm going to have to get in the water to do the rest."

"Need any help?"

He looked up at her.

"Maybe in a day or so," he said, "When you're done with the stable."

She nodded and then stepped away.

"Guess I'd better get headed back," she said, "I have to check on the progress of my young hands."

"Aren't they under the watchful eye of Bo and Lamar?"

C.J. raised her brow and Matt nodded.

"I get your point," he said, "But that can wait a few minutes…I've got something to show you."

Her curiosity perked.

"Like what?"

"Come here a little closer…"

She folded her arms.

"Houston, I'm not going to fall for that one," she said, "Not anymore…"

He smiled and his eyes twinkled, and damn he did look great…if not perfectly innocent.

"Okay, just one step and you can describe it," she said, and moved toward him.

At that point, he began splashing her with water and she began throwing up her arms.

"What are you doing?"

"I think that's pretty clear, don't you think?"

She started splashing him with water back to meet his onslaught. They had plenty of water fights including at this lake in the past so she should really have seen this one coming. And honestly, she quite enjoyed them, always welcoming the playful side of her friend…most of the time.

"We're getting soaked," she protested half-heartedly.

"Then it's a good thing we're in a lake…"

She began heading back to shore, her legs splashing through the water and he watched her a bit before following. They both collapsed on the grassy patch near the shore, allowing the sun to work its magic. He lay back and looked at the small tufts of white drifting across the sky.

"I guess the rain I predicted is taking its time getting here," he said.

"Oh you know you called that just to rankle Slade, she said, "You too would disagree on most anything."

He remained silent for a moment and C.J. looked over at him.

"Not everything…"

"Oh?"

"We both know how incredible you are," he said softly.

She hoisted herself up on her elbows and looked at him.

"Well I'm glad that despite your differences, you both figured out the obvious."

He sighed.

"I've really enjoyed back here," he said, "I don't know why I put it on the market."

"You know, I can always sell it back to you…and the price will be reasonable," she said.

"I'm glad you bought it C.J.," he said, "and you're really bringing it back to life. I should have never neglected it."

"Houston, you wanted to live closer to where you work," she said, "There's nothing wrong with that."

He closed his eyes.

"It never felt like the right decision to make," he said, "I kept hoping I'd warm up to it but…"

She chuckled.

"You're still Texan," she said, "and you've still got a strong streak of cowboy in you."

He nodded, marveling that she understood him so well, he didn't have to explain much about why he thought the way he did about things, even things no one else understood. He tried to do the same with her and it worked most of the time but sometimes she still confused him.

"About Slade…"

She cut him off.

"Houston, it really is over between us."

"He wasn't right for you…"

She looked over at him sharply for that.

"And you're the expert, right?"

"C.J…"

She leaned up again.

"No, because if you really want to get down to where we both evaluate each other's relationship choices, we could do that…but I'd rather not…not on a beautiful day."

"That's not what I meant," he said, "I just think that you deserve better."

That didn't win him any points either.

"Houston, I know what I deserve better than anyone," she said, "and whether or not I'm getting into a relationship with anyone...in any way, shape or form."

"But you and Slade…"

She sighed.

"I never wanted anything serious with him," she said, "I just wanted to see if I could keep it casual and fun…like you do all the time where no one gets hurt."

Ouch.

"C.J., I've had serious relationships," he said, "I've been engaged twice."

"But not married," she finished, "and I'm not judging you for that but you've got this casual thing all figured out, from where to set boundaries while not hurting a woman's feelings to when to walk away with your own feelings intact."

He set his jaw, thinking through that one.

"C.J., it's not everything it's cracked up to be," he said, "I've hurt women…and have had my own heart broken."

"I'm not saying you haven't," she amended, "but it really seems to work for you."

He felt taken aback. Was that what she believed, which was ironic because he had been doing some serious thinking in between cases and parties and casual flings about whether or not that had been what he really wanted.

"Maybe not as much as you seem to think," he said.

That surprised her.

"Really?"

"Yes really," he said, "I've been doing some thinking of my own about my future relationships with women."

She chuckled at that and he looked at her puzzled.

"What's so funny?"

"Oh Houston, this whole situation," she said, "Here, I am wanting to ditch serious relationships for a while and play the field…like you do and you're the eternal playboy…in between engagements and you want to settle down with one woman."

He smiled at that and at her.

"Well, not right away," he said, "I might still have an oat or two left."

She gave that serious thought.

"Hmmm," she said, "You're bringing your illustrious era of being the jet setting lady's man to a close. Have you ever thought about who you would choose for your swan song to that period of your life?"

His eyes blinked. Was she saying….no he must be imagining it, creating words for her to say that would never be heard…at least not by him. Still…

"C.J., what are you saying," he said, "or are you asking?"

She looked at him as if he was obtuse but she felt a wave of uncertainty flow through her and she took a deep breath before proceeding. He leaned up on his elbows to look at her carefully to make sure he heard her right.

"I'm just saying that at this point in our lives," she said, "It's looking like we're after the same thing."

He just dropped his jaw, unable to help himself, not being able to believe where she was going in this conversation, definitely taking it into unchartered waters in their relationship. He collapsed on the grass again. Concern filled C.J.'s face.

"Houston…Matt are you okay," she said, wondering if he needed to be revived.


	22. Chapter 22

Here's the next installment of this FF story. I hope you enjoy it and thanks for reading and the feedback!

* * *

Matt blinked his eyes again and looked up at C.J.'s face. Her dark hair haloed her face and her hazel eyes; well they were starting to look a bit worried.

"Look Houston, just forget what I said," she said, finally.

Those words made him sit up again on the grass and look at her.

"C.J., it's a little bit difficult for me to do that," he said, "It's like closing the barn door…"

"After the horses have run out," she said, "I know that but I just thought I'd run it past you since we're both between relationships that…"

"We would just jump into bed with each other," he finished.

Her eyes widened.

"Whoa Houston, wait a minute, is that what you thought I was saying?"

Now he felt really confused, and right in the middle of some sort of minefield.

"Wasn't it?"

She thought about it, again, wanting to proceed cautiously given the expression on his face.

"Well actually I was going to ask you if you could give me some tips," she said, "on just how to have a good time with someone and be able to walk away."

Matt frowned.

"Is that how you view my relationships with women?"

"Not all of them," she said, "But you do love them and leave them most of the time Houston. You were awarded that sexiest tycoon alive title."

Awarded, Matt had considered it more a curse. His cousin Will had acted like it was the funniest thing he had ever seen and when the issue of the magazine had been released, he had the picture blown up many times its size and had it framed. Matt had walked into the suite from the elevator and had just seen it there larger than life on the wall. He quickly took it down and where it was now, he honestly couldn't say. The phones in the office had rung off the hooks for weeks wearing out his secretarial staff answering them. And how had C.J. viewed the whole thing, with a mixture of good humor sprinkled with a little sympathy and exasperation at his reaction.

"I still haven't tracked down the fellow who submitted my name."

She chuckled.

"Oh Houston, give it a rest," she said, "It's all in good fun."

His brows rose.

"It wasn't you by any chance, was it?"

She rolled her eyes back at him.

"You already interrogated me along with the others," she said, "though I have to admit I do know who's responsible."

He tilted his head.

"And you've been holding out on me all this time?"

She ran her hand through her hair, pretending to think about it.

"I'll tell you once you've put this whole thing behind you."

He nodded.

"Okay, but why would anyone do such a thing," he asked.

She rolled his eyes at him again. Really, he might be her best friend in the world and all that but he really could be very dense.

"Do you even have to ask," she said, "You know you're great looking, whether you're wearing a three-piece, jeans or…"

C.J. stopped there, believing that some secrets after all were meant to be kept and she still hadn't told him about that time at the lake.

"And anyway, many women would definitely say you're the sexiest cowboy in L.A…"

His brows furrowed.

"That photo that they used…"

"Houston can you just drop it," she said, "and help me with my problem?"

Her problem, oh yeah, the one she had just dropped on him which had knocked him out as effectively as would an anvil.

"C.J., I don't know what you've been thinking...but this bachelor reputation…"

"Jet set playboy," she corrected.

"Well whatever," he responded, "It's not really who I am. I mean I love women…in all shapes and forms but I've had more serious relationships too."

She knew he spoke the truth there. He had after all been engaged twice, once to a woman killed by a vicious serial killer, the next had been the last, Elizabeth who had been just about to marry her friend until mayhem had erupted and after the dust settled, decided she had wanted no part of his unpredictable lifestyle. The breakup had deeply hurt Matt so she had been a bit cautious about teasing him about his flock of women lately, even as he had appeared to pick up where he had left off. Women started calling, hanging around again and the social columnists had started buzzing about him in their columns.

Not that you could believe everything these gossips said, after all they had written once that C.J. had been having some noon time fun with a judge, including when she hadn't even been in town. The columnists had called it all a huge misunderstanding, a case of mistaken identity but they still had used her as a supporting character in their scripting of Matt's ongoing drama. Even insinuating that she had been waiting on the sidelines for him to come to his senses and realize she was the woman for him. The nerve of those women! As if she would wait for any man to throw her a crumb.

"Houston, I know that you've fallen in love. I've seen it," she amended, "but you've done a lot of playing too and that seems as if it's almost as enjoyable to you."

He just looked at her.

"It's a type of relationship that I've never mastered," C.J. said, "And I'm great at a lot of things but not at that…"

"And you think that I'm the expert," he said, "and can pass along some advice or some tips on how to love them and leave them?"

"I don't know if I would put it that way…"

"You just did."

She thought backwards to a page or two ago during this conversation and nodded in acknowledgement.

"Ah yes I did," she said, rubbing her forehead. "Maybe I could have chosen my words better."

He frowned.

"Why are you heading in this direction," he said, "Does this have anything to do with Zack, or Randy?"

She shook her head.

"I just need a change," she said, "from getting my heart bruised."

Understanding filled his eyes.

"And you think that a casual fling or two is going to make you forget that," he said, "or protect you from getting hurt?"

"That's a reason why you do it, isn't it?"

Dam she had an ability to pick her targets well, though he didn't think she was aware of it some of the time. He paused.

"Maybe…sometimes," he said, "When I broke up with Elizabeth, I felt like I'd been split apart…for a while and I did get back in circulation pretty quickly."

"There's nothing wrong with that Houston," she said, "I just wish I were as good at doing that as you seem to be."

"C.J…you put your heart into everything, 100 percent," he said, "That's one of the things I really admire about you is how you don't hold any part of yourself back from the people you care about…"

She bit her lip. Actually, that wasn't true about everyone but she understood what he was getting at.

"Houston…"

"You put your heart and soul into your relationships which means putting yourself at tremendous risk of getting hurt," he said, "I don't know if that's something I do very well."

She reached over to rub his arm. Her touch jolted his skin through his shirt.

"You do just fine cowboy."

He finally exhaled.

"I think that you should follow your heart on this C.J.," he said, "And I think it's trying to tell you something…since you didn't wind up going through with your plans with Slade."

She sighed.

"Bringing that up again?"

He looked at her seriously.

"He might be a really nice guy under his attitude," Matt conceded, "but he isn't right for you."

Her brow rose.

"And you know that, how?"

He struggled not to caress her face as he often did, without knowing why.

"Because I know you," he said, simply.

* * *

Their clothes had dried off quickly enough from that scorcher of a sun and they had decided to leave the tranquility of the lake behind and head back to the business of the ranch. They got their horses and rode through the meadows chatting amiably enough about their memories of time spent there and of some projects that C.J. had planned on her list. Nothing about their lives back in L.A. or their work, both of them more than content to have left that behind at least for a while.

Matt had plenty of time to think about some other past memories he had shared with his lifelong friend, ones that he kept mainly to himself in the back of his mind, though at times they threatened to slip out. Like the one that had been on his mind the past couple of days since Marquis escaped from prison. He and C.J. had crossed paths with the terrorist for the first time, in the most violent of ways. She had agreed one night to attend a charity gala with him on his arm and per usual, the society columnists had a field day of speculation about that. Even though most of the news writers had focused on an attempted assassination of a senator, which Matt had thwarted by chasing the hit man. He would have caught him too if the young man hadn't shot him in the shoulder. Still, police officers had rounded up what turned out to be Marquis, jr. and had taken him back to a wounded Matt to be identified as the shooter. Pain had struck Matt and unconsciousness had threatened to descend on him but he had fingered the man anyway, the only person who had been able to implicate him for such a serious crime.

So they had locked up Marquis, jr. in a federal detention center where he would remain with no bail until his trial date on attempted murder and conspiracy charges. Oh they had known that the young man hadn't been working alone but he had hired a lawyer and had kept his mouth shut and every trail that they had pursued to find out who had directed him to kill the senator had gone cold. Matt had known that because most of them had gone back to the man's father, Marquis sr. which hadn't made any sense because the man had been dead from a car bomb explosion several years earlier. Matt had pointed out to the authorities that no body had ever been found and the FBI agents on the case had just looked at him in exasperation and pointed out that after such a powerful explosion, what was left of Marquis, jr. would have gone up in the inferno.

Matt's shoulder had recovered…slowly mostly because despite C.J.'s protests, he had kept pushing himself both on the ranch and with his caseload. She had finally called a halt to that and Murray had saved the day in a manner of speaking by telling both of them that he had some specs to show them about a spa resort nestled in the idyllic Bahamas that they really should hop on a plane and go check out…taking their time of course while they were there. C.J. had seemed awfully grateful to Murray for his suggestion and even Matt had warmed to it after giving it some thought.

And so they had boarded Matt's favorite Lear Jet and had headed on out to this resort. The flight would take hours even with refueling in Dallas but he had plenty to occupy his mind while C.J. sat next to him…

They both reached the paddock area near the barn and saw Bo and Lamar in the garden, picking peppers for dinner. Nearby was the pot that from the smells that wafted toward them, had to be some of their delicious chili. They got off of their horses and headed towards the barn.

Lulu had a broom in her hand and swept the area near the feed and hay storage. She looked up when she saw them.

"We wondered if you were ever going to return," she said.

C.J. and Matt looked at each other.

"We were spending time at the lake," she said, "It's a beautiful day after all. How much work did you and Dylan get done?"

Lulu made a face.

"I swept most of the barn and cleaned the rest of the tack," she said, "Dylan had to leave because his grandfather's coming to visit."

C.J. nodded, knowing that when Dylan's parents had been unable to raise him, his grandfather had offered but he had not been able to handle the rearing of a teenager though he still visited him regularly.

"He's really missed his grandfather," Lulu added, "I wish I had one."

C.J. had very few memories of her own grandparents, just some vague sense that she had known them when she had been very little, before moving to Texas to live with her only living relative, an uncle.

"It's good for him to stay connected to his family," she said, "I'm sure they'll have a good time catching up."

"He'll be back to work tomorrow," Lulu said.

"No rush," C.J. answered, removing Chelsea's tack before rubbing her down.

Matt brought in his gelding and parked next to where C.J. had been brushing her mare's coat into a fine sheen. Chelsea nickered contently and closed her eyes.

"Dylan's with his grandfather," she said.

Matt removed the saddle and went down the corridor to the tack room before returning.

"That's good for him," he said, "I loved spending time with mine when I was little, before he died."

"I know what it's like not having your parents around," she said, rubbing her mare's neck with her fingers.

He heard just a small trace of sadness in her voice as he often did when she spoke about her family, most of who had died even before she had been born. Her parents had both died before she had come to Texas. He brushed her shoulder with his own comfortably while they both tended to their horses.

* * *

Bo and Lamar's chili had been the highlight of the day, with everyone cleaning up with several bowls of the delicious mixture of beans and ground beef done just right, with several different kind of peppers taken from her garden mixed right in, seamlessly. Matt had headed back to the guest house to do some work that Murray had faxed him that morning and she had changed into her swim suit, grabbed her usual glass of wine and headed out for another evening under the stars in the hot tub.

The phone rang on cue just when she had gotten herself settled.

"Shelia, your timing is impeccable," she said, chuckling.

"Well I've survived two business meetings and a social party where a brawl broke out near the wet bar so I'm ready to kick back," her friend said.

"So what was the fight about," C.J. said.

"You know Rita, the talk show host," Shelia said, "She's been dangling two men on a string for months and they just found out about it."

C.J. shook her head. So there were women out there who could pull it off, and not just one guy, but two of them.

"Who won the fight?"

"No one," Shelia said, "Some hired bouncers broke it up and there's going to be some cosmetic dentists in Beverly Hills who are going to be very busy…and richer."

"Ouch."

"Exactly, but what about you," Shelia asked, "How are you doing with Houston?"

C.J. sighed, sipping her wine.

"You know he's such an expert at keeping the women in his life at a comfortable distance," she said, "but he refused to share any tips."

"Maybe he's got his own reasons…"

"He just kept telling me he wished he could be like me and throw himself 100 percent into them," C.J. said, "How interesting. I want to be like him and vice versa."

Shelia paused.

"There's plenty of room for you to meet in the middle."

C.J. sunk lower in the tub, relishing the churning water as it swirled against her tense muscles in her shoulders.

"He actually thought…that I wanted to have a casual fling with him. Now I wonder where he would get that idea?"

Shelia snorted.

"I thought he was on your list of possibilities."

"Not seriously," C.J. said, "I told you I don't want to blow our lifelong friendship just to scratch some itch."

"And I told you that might never happen," Shelia reasoned, "You have to think positively. It could really turn out special for the two of you."

C.J. remained quiet.

"Hello, are you still there or did you drown in that tub?"

"Oh I'm here," C.J. said, "I just don't think I'm ready to move through unchartered waters with my best friend."

"What about him," Shelia said, "Has he given it some thought?"

"I doubt it," C.J. said, "He looked horrified when he thought…"

"So you think," Shelia said, "but I really think he'd go for it…I mean he might be your best friend but most men think about doing it with their female friends…at least a dozen times a day."

"Really, you're pulling my leg…"

"No, I read it in a study," Shelia protested, "There are scientists who spend a lot of money researching male and female interactions."

C.J. knew that was probably true, but she and Matt…well she had given it some thought herself so maybe it was only fair to think that it might have crossed his mind…a time or two. After all, she had sat inside the flight deck of Matt's Lear Jet for hours while flying to the Bahamas and while they had spent most of that time casually chattering, her mind had wandered to other things.

"Okay, okay," she said finally, "I have had those thoughts about him. We were flying to the Caribbean in one of his jets and a brief thought passed through my head about something called the Mile High Club…"

Shelia's laughter filled her ears.

"Oh that's really funny…"

C.J. frowned.

"It was just a fleeting thought," she said, "Well except later when I imagined what it would be like if something did happen to us while we were at the resort."

"There's nothing wrong with that," Shelia said, "He's a great looking guy, very sexy."

C.J. couldn't argue with that but the thoughts had been fleeting because not long after she thought about Matt, her and that cozy flight deck, she had felt herself grow very dizzy and light-headed, struggling to keep her eyes open. Next thing she knew, she and Matt had been sitting in the back of a jeep in some tropical place with guns pointed at them. And that nightmare had begun.

* * *

Matt frowned at the fax that had come through from Murray about some inquiries that had been done of a small company of his in the pharmaceutical industry. Just routine, his president had assured him and he did sign the papers authorizing the release of the quarterly reports. His security team had called in, saying that they were out doing perimeter watch but nothing suspicious had shown up. Matt had breathed a sigh of relief on that front but knew that if Marquis showed up, there might not be much warning.

Marquis…the man who had hijacked his jet while he and C.J. had been en route to the Bahamas and had flown them to some unchartered island. The fact that the two of them had no clue where they had been taken was part of the leverage Marquis had used against them. The other, being that while the terrorist had been researching his quarry, he had discovered the depths of Matt's feelings for his best friend. Marquis had capitalized on that by holding her hostage while sending Matt back to get his son released from jail. Matt had grabbed a gun from a guard and tried to escape, turning the tables on his captors or so he had believed. But as it turned out, Marquis had grown to know how his mind worked very well and had then threatened to have a firing squad kill C.J. They had even tied her up and had aimed their weapons at her while Matt watched, unable to do anything but finally agree to do their dirty work.

During his life, Matt had felt helpless several times. When he had been a little boy and abducted by a shadowy figure he called the "Nightmare Man", who had dropped back in his life like an old ghost months ago for a final showdown. The time when his first fiancée had been murdered…the time when ___Castanos had been running around loose, bent on revenge. And when C.J. had gotten hurt or into danger because of their investigative work. _

___But the interruption by Marquis into what had been intended to be a relaxing vacation disguised as a business trip had definitely been one of the worst experiences especially since it had been so different from what Matt had intended…_


	23. Chapter 23

Another installment of this FF story is completed. I hope you like it and thanks for the feedback. Alas, it is indeed a casualty of watching Season 1 which is out on DVD. The first season's great and they are fun to watch but he's pretty clueless through most of the season about a few things. She really needed to knock some sense into the dude.

* * *

Matt had looked out over the mist that covered the ocean from where he flew above it. He knew that once they approached their destination, it would burn away and they would be treated to the magnificent sight of the turquoise ocean beneath them. Not that you had to look out the window to see something beautiful. He glanced over to the woman sitting in the co-pilot seat who he had known most of his life. She had spent most of the time they hadn't been chatting looking out the window at the blue sky. She had asked him about his shoulder several times, the one that still occasionally ached even after three months. He had met with a federal prosecutor earlier that morning just before they left to hear the latest on the case involving the hit man who had shot him after Matt had thwarted his assassination attempt. The target, a U.S. senator had pushed some legislation which would have made it more difficult for terrorists to launder their money inside the country and Matt had no doubt that whoever had hired Marquis jr. had arranged for the hit as payback. The senator had visited him in the hospital and thanked him before flying back to Washington, D.C. Matt had just shrugged, knowing he didn't have any real choice but to act and he hoped the man who tailored his suits wouldn't give him a hard time every time he ruined one.

"Your shoulder still bothering you," she asked again, looking at him.

She had dressed casual for the flight but on her, casual always looked nice, accentuating her figure. Her hair draped over her shoulders in soft waves, and her hazel eyes twinkled as she clearly looked forward to arriving at the luxurious resort to evaluate it as a business investment. When Matt looked at her during that moment, he had to admit that he wondered what it would be like if they would get the business part of the trip out of the way and move on to recreation and relaxation, the kind that gave the tropical islands their reputation. They both loved to sail and scuba dive and there were mountains to be hiked and oceans to swim in not to mention a beach with pristine sand to relax while the soft breezes wafted in from the ocean. Then there were impressive buffets and music for dancing, miles of coastline lit up by a sea of stars and moonlight to walk along, listening to the tides coming inland. He saw them in his mind walking hand and hand along the beach, both listening to the ocean and then they would stop to look at how the stars danced on the distant horizon before calling it a night and walking back to their separate bungalows .

But looking at her sitting beside him ,Matt had thought that what if instead of going back separately, he wrapped his arms around her, resting his hands against her shoulder blades and drew her closer to him where he could feel her heart beat against his chest. What if instead of saying goodnight, he stroked her face and kissed her, under the moonlight? And what if…instead of pulling away, putting her hands on his chest and pushing him back over that line, she kissed him back, wrapping her arms around his waist? What then if he had asked her to walk with him back to his bungalow …and what if she nodded and said yes?

Matt felt his face flush suddenly as she turned to face him suddenly, almost as if she had read his thoughts.

"Are you okay," she had asked, obviously thinking about his shoulder again.

"Yeah…I'm fine," he said, rubbing it again absently.

He had signed inwardly and tried to focus back on the final leg of their flight, programming the final coordinates, not knowing at that time how quickly their destination would change.

Matt tried to push those memories from several years ago out of his head. Because there hadn't been any days spent sailing or swimming in the ocean, or walking along the beach at night, thanks to Marquis who had done the impossible of eluding death to wreak his revenge on Matt, by targeting the woman closest to him. Dream vacation turned into a nightmare on a dime.

He had faxed the paperwork back to Murray and hoped that he had better things to do than send another barrage of documents to read and sign. Getting himself another beer out of the frig, he walked out to the porch to sit and relax, listening to the sounds of nature break the quiet of the night. He could really used to a routine like this and found himself not missing the frenzied social scene with a party every night at all. His muscles relaxed as he settled in his chair and put his boots up on the small table, thinking about the conversation he had with C.J. earlier that day. When she had made those comments about both of them looking for the same thing…He had thought that…he almost couldn't believe it now that she had wanted them to jump into bed with her. And the thought, it had shocked him, not just what he thought she had said and then when he had discovered he had been wrong.

He sipped his beer, looking out into the shadows. The security men had left another message on his phone assuring him that everything had looked fine during their perimeter walk. Matt hadn't yet heard any updates from the FBI or U.S. Customs about any news they might have learned on their end. He wondered if the terrorist had holed up somewhere, recruited some of his followers who had escaped prison to return to his fold and had been finalizing plans to go after Matt. After all, there had to be some reason why Marquis hadn't fled the country where once he crossed into Mexico or flew out of an airport, he would have been lost once again. Matt had fought temptation to drop everything and try to find Marquis himself to stop him from hurting the people he loved to get back at him but he knew that he had to keep his family safe which mean that Roy and Will had to remain where they were surrounded by guards and he had to keep a close eye on C.J. He struggled with whether or not he should come clean to her about Marquis' escape and then decided against it once again, not wanting to ruin her happiness.

He hoped it wasn't a decision he would live to regret.

* * *

C.J. sipped her wine while still on the phone with Shelia who had continued to give her a hard time about her admission that she had flirted with the idea of taking her relationship with Matt to a more intimate level.

"Hey if you've at least thought about it, you're just human," Shelia said, laughing.

C.J. sighed.

"It was just a passing thought Shelia," she said, "Right before his plane got hijacked by a bunch of terrorists."

Shelia paused.

"You can't have everything," she said, "especially if you pick such a dangerous profession."

"We both love what we do," C.J. said,"It's exciting and we get to help people."

"You get to spend a lot of time together," Shelia pointed out.

"That too," C.J. said, "Although we weren't doing that as much when Zack came back to town."

"He's back out of the picture isn't he?"

"Well yes, Houston fired him," C.J. said, "They had different visions of where the agency should be going. Zack wanted more glamour and profits and Houston…it's always been about fighting for justice and helping others find it."

"That and he found out what Zack did to you years ago."

C.J. paused.

"That too," she said quietly.

The morning broke over the valley and C.J. woke up as the sunlight streamed through the window to the sounds of squealing followed by yelling coming from outside her window. She gazed outside and saw that Beulah had taken off running around the barnyard with both Bo and Lamar in pursuit and when she looked closer at the sow, she noticed she had something in her mouth which looked like….

"Give me back my hat you no good…"

That sounded like Bo who ran from one side of the yard to the other while Beulah still squealing evaded his grasp.

"Lamar if that's how you grab a female's attention then no wonder you're alone," Lamar chided from behind him. C

"Excuse me, I didn't see you have any luck lassoing that rope…"

C.J. watched, trying to suppress a chuckle when she saw that Matt wearing his worn jeans and those damn chaps of his had stood there watching the two hands , shaking his head. Then he joined in on the chase.

She grabbed some clothes and ran to take a shower, thinking that another exciting day on her ranch had already begun without her.

"What the hell are you all doing," she said, as she walked out of the ranch house dressed for the day to see what the men had gotten themselves into.

The three men looked at her.

"Beulah's done gone and taken off again," Bo lamented, "and she's got my best hat."

C.J. realized that when she saw the pig waving it between her teeth, while she stood several yards away from them.

"She's taunting us," Lamar said, "If I didn't know better, I would think she's not just an ordinary pig."

C.J. shook her head at him.

"Lamar, she's a sweet little thing," she started.

Matt raised a brow at her.

"Little thing?"

She smiled.

"Okay, she's not little but she is sweet," she amended.

"She's not really being sweet when she's rooting into the garden or running off with one of your apple pies," Bo recalled.

Matt looked at C.J.

"Bo's got a point."

C.J. put her hands on her hips and Matt suppressed a grin.

"I'll go round her up," she said, "You guys stand watch over the garden and make sure she doesn't slip in there."

They looked at her doubtfully.

"Go run along," she said, "I'll have this under control in no time."

She walked towards Beulah.

"I'll help you," Matt offered, "Two sets of hands are better than one."

She considered that and nodded, but not without a hint of pink in her cheeks. She had been thinking too much about his hands while trying to get to sleep last night. It must be all this clean mountain area getting to her lungs which had been choked for too long by L.A. smog. Yes, that must be it, she thought.

"We'd better get this done," she said, "I've got a ton of work to do today."

* * *

She and Matt walked slowly towards Beulah but she saw them coming and trotted off towards the small orchard where C.J. had spent some of her earlier days on the ranch nurturing Matt's apple and peach trees. She knew that the sow probably had figured out that this was where she would find plenty of her favorite treats lying on the ground where they had fallen off the trees.

"She's heading towards the orchard," Matt said, figuring out the obvious.

"I'll follow her and you head around the back and head her off," C.J. said, "You sure you're up to this, it could be messy."

Matt just looked at her face, which had kept him awake most of the night. Not that he would admit that because he wasn't in any mood for her to treat it like it was funny.

"I can handle whatever you can," he countered.

So they headed their separate ways and C.J. crept closer to Beulah, whose snout brushed the ground, and when she saw the fruit, she began making happy noises. C.J. crept closer and she looked up and saw Matt approaching from the other side, while Beulah's teeth crunched on some luscious apples, overly ripened, their perfume filling the air.

Matt signaled her and she shook her head. What was he thinking, they had to get much closer to Beulah. She just sighed in exasperation. Suddenly, she looked up at him and nodded and they both carefully walked towards the pig that appeared to be too busy feasting to notice them. Suddenly, C.J. heard the crackling of a branch and saw the expression on Matt's face change as he lifted his foot off of a branch. Beulah's head shot up suddenly and then Matt sprinted towards her. C.J. tried to reach the pig at the same time but Beulah slipped away from them and the two of them smashed right into each other hitting the ground in a tangle of arms and legs while Beulah trotted off towards the peach trees to see what treasures lay there. At first she felt stunned and just lay there, with Matt sprawled on top of her and then they both tried to extricate themselves.

"What the hell," C.J. said, "Why did you move so quickly?"

"I didn't want to lose her," Matt said, "I've got a lot to do today too."

She felt his weight on top of her shift as he pushed himself up to a sitting position. They just looked at each other and she saw that his forehead had been scratched.

"Your head," she said, reaching out her fingers to touch it. It just looked an angry red but no bleeding.

"I'm fine," he said, "What about you?"

She ran her hand through her hair and then she smiled.

"Just my pride…"

He looked at her cheeks flush and thought she looked beautiful. Light freckles dotted her nose and her hazel eyes sparkled at him.

"C.J…"

She narrowed those eyes at him.

"What's the matter?"

"Nothing…."

She brushed her hands on her jeans.

"I guess we'd better get up."

He caressed her arm.

"Wait…"

Her eye brows rose at him for him to continue. He instead reached his hand out and caressed her face, before placing his hand beneath her chin. Her eyes shot into his own in surprise.

"Houston…"

That were the only word that would escape her lips as he covered them with his own. His kiss began gently but insistent at the same time and her mouth yielded gladly clearly having a mind of its own because what he had started really didn't make any sense. So she decided not to think about it but to just surrender to the moment and enjoy it for what it was, a snapshot in their relationship. Time appeared to stand still and other clichés came to her mind as she thought she had never felt like she did right now, the flow of heat rushing through her blood threatening to consume her. And her body reacted, wanting much more than his mouth on her own.

Finally he released her from his kiss and stroked her lips which tingled again under the brush of his mouth before he pulled away. His eyes never left her own.

"That was really nice…"

Nice, wasn't exactly the words that came to C.J.'s mind as he reached for her hand and they both got on their feet, though hers felt shaky beneath her. She tried to rein in her racing heart and covered it with a smile as they headed back towards the barnyard. She found herself looking at him sideways as they fell into one of their companionable silences wondering what the hell he had just started. After all, except for the hint of a smile on her face, he certainly didn't appear to be as affected by what just they had shared as she had been. She sighed, thinking the world really wasn't all that fair that once again, her feelings for him were much more than how he felt in return.


	24. Chapter 24

Here's the latest chapter of this story. I hope you enjoy it and thanks for reading it, and your feedback!

* * *

C.J. tried to concentrate on mixing different paints together so that she could get the shade just right, which would hopefully match what the interior of the building had once looked like years ago. Before the sun had blistered the paint and the rain had rinsed it away, even before Matt had first purchased the ranch from a famous movie actress when they first arrived in California. She had spent the morning polishing some of the furniture and allowing it to dry before rearranging the room. It hadn't been easy to sneak the delivery of the painting supplies past Matt, but thanks to Bo and Lamar, she had managed to get them to the stable after Matt had saddled up his horse and ridden off to the lake to finish working on the dock.

Not long after the kiss they had shared in the orchard, the memory of which still lingered on her lips. Because after all, the man could definitely kiss, not that she had been completely unaware of that fact. A couple of years ago, he had kissed her after she had helped him win a frog jumping contest against Bo and Lamar with his beloved champion jumper, Rupert. His lips had just brushed hers but oh my! Then he had sat back and made that frog noise, waggling his eyebrows like he did when teased her. Her heart had sunk and she had pasted a smile on her face pretending to go along with it. But inside, her feelings had been much more turbulent because for a second there…she had thought that they had connected. But then he had been brooding over a breakup with some old flame turned international model that he had called "Squeaky", someone who hadn't even liked frogs. Sometimes she just didn't get his taste in women.

She hadn't even waited for Matt to do the same thing this time around, slip comfortably into his playful mood while she sat there coming back down to earth. She had allowed him to help her up on her feet, while her head still spun but she hadn't said anything the entire walk back to the barn. They had gone their separate ways then, he back to the guest house to make some last minute phone calls, business he had said and she had gone to fix herself a quick breakfast before saddling up Chelsea and heading off for another day's work.

C.J. sighed, looking down at the paint, and then deciding it needed just a little bit more of the tan shade blended in, so she added a small amount and stirred. She sat on the small bed which was more like a cot really, stripped of its linins. They would be replaced with some fresh ones she had picked up at the valley's version of Kmart. When the stable was finished, she would show it to Matt and she hoped he would like the finished product. When he had owned the ranch, it had been one of his favorite places to hide away from the pressure of his jet set lifestyle especially when Murray had developed the habit of bringing business to the ranch. Something that she finally had to nip in the bud, before it drove Matt crazy. Which was all well and good, but how was she going to nip this thing in the bud with Matt whatever it was before it drove her crazy?

But then did she even want to do that? She furrowed her brow in deep thought over that question that had been lingering in her mind threatening to interrupt her good intentions to finish up her renovation of the stable. After all, she had been the one who had wanted a casual fling and she had only stopped because Matt had said he had wanted to curtail that portion of his life and if not settle down with one woman, at least wean himself off of his busy social calendar.

She shook her head, picked up a bucket of paint and headed out to start working on the stalls.

* * *

Matt splashed around in the water, near the dock examining his finished work. He had tugged on the piling closest to him that he had just replaced and instead of swaying, the structure stood fast. He waded out of the water dressed in his sorriest pair of jeans covered with even sorrier waders, stripped to the waist. As he stepped onto the grassy bank, he looked back at the dock which needed some more work done on the far end, but soon could be used to dock his sail boat again. He had enjoyed taking it out on the lake when the winds blew across it just right, leaving his work behind him. Sometimes he and C.J. sailed out to the small town on the other side of the lake to eat at a small diner with some of the best pan fried trout that melted in your mouth. At the thought of her, his mind traveled back to that morning when he had kissed her in the orchard. It had started out harmless enough, an impulsive decision on his part, after all it hadn't been the first time they had kissed. Not too long ago on his ranch after the frog jumping contest, when C.J. had pulled a fast one on Bo and Lamar. She had tilted her head and just smiled at him, talking about frogs and princes and then he had kissed her, like that.

Only it hadn't been like that back then and it hadn't been this morning either.

He had almost did what he had that time before on the ranch which was to joke about it but the expression on her face had stopped him. But when he had tried to figure out what to say instead, words escaped him. He reached for his shirt and then put it back on, heading back to his horse to get his lunch.

Looking up, he heard hoof beats approaching and looked up to see Slade riding towards him. He watched the rancher approach him, reining his horse to a stop.

"What is it," Matt asked.

"I saw some men lurking around C.J.'s spread," he said, "A couple of them, not exactly dressed like ranchers."

Matt narrowed his eyes.

"Did you say anything to them?"

"I called out to them but they didn't answer," Slade said, "They could be hunters but it's illegal in this region."

Matt looked out at the lake.

"Were they armed," he asked.

"Not that I could tell," Slade answered, "You don't really sound all that surprised."

Matt paused.

"C.J. told me she ran into a man looking for work," he said, "She gave you as a referral since you needed someone who knew horses."

Slade shook his head.

"No one's shown up so far," he said, "but maybe he found work someplace else."

"Maybe…"

What Matt had hoped was that his security men would fade back into the back ground, be more discreet so he wouldn't get any more reported sightings.

"I just thought you should know," Slade said, "Where's C.J.?"

"She's working on the stable," Matt said, "She's been busy at it the past several days."

"We've got a meeting with Ruth Ann and the others tonight," Slade said, "She heard back from the bank."

"And it's not good news," Matt guessed.

Slade shook his head.

"They want to levy a higher interest rate if they refinance the mortgage," he said, "There must be some party in the wings who's pulling the strings here."

"In the game of real estate, there usually is," Matt said, "but they'll have to surface at some point."

"I think I should tell her so we can get better prepared for tonight," Slade said, "if you'll point me in the right direction."

Matt hesitated, not sure why.

"She's probably going to finish up soon for the day," he said, "and then she'll be heading back to the ranch house and getting ready for that meeting."

"It's kind of urgent," Slade pressed.

Matt heard hoof beats and looked up and saw C.J. riding towards them. She pulled up to a stop a few feet away, just looking at them before getting off of Chelsea.

"Am I interrupting anything," she said, approaching them.

The two men just looked at her and Slade smiled.

"C.J., how are things going?"

She smiled back at him but Matt saw some wariness behind it.

"Fine on my end," she said, "What about yours? What did the bank say?"

Slade looked surprised. Matt wondered why. You would think after being in a relationship with her, he would know how sharp she was about details and never missed anything including a nuance in someone's body language.

He sighed finally.

"The bank sent out another threatening letter to Ruth Ann and several others," he said, "

She shook her head.

"I know there's a developer tied up in this situation somewhere," she said, "But what would they want to do with this land?"

Slade shrugged.

"I'm thinking a resort of some type."

"Probably one of those so-called dude ranches," Matt deduced.

The other two looked at him in horror.

"That could be it," C.J. said, "A bunch of city folks yearning to play cowboy. It's happened in other places."

"Are you heading back," Matt asked.

"I did some painting and it's drying," she said, "So I can't do anything else."

"When's it going to be finished," he asked.

She thought about it.

"A few days," she said, "And I don't want to hear that you've sneaked off to take a peak before it's finished."

He threw her a wounded look.

"C.J. I would never disregard a promise I made to you…"

She looked towards the lake.

"How's the work on the dock going," she said, "I can see you've taken a swim with your clothes on."

He folded his arms.

"I had to wade into the lake to fix the end portion of it," he said, "and that water's too damn cold for swimming."

She snorted.

"Especially the way you like to swim…"

She saw a hint of pink beneath his tanned complexion.

"C.J... how would you know?"

She winked and threw him a wide smile.

"I have my methods," she said, "After that stunt you pulled back in Texas…"

He threw up his hands.

"It was an innocent mistake…"

Slade looked at the two of them.

"Is there something I should know about here," he said, "What the hell are you talking about?"

Both Matt and C.J. looked at each other and then tried to push aside the merriment and adopt a more serious look.

"Nothing…," they both said.

"We'll have the meeting at my place," Slade continued, "I've already told the others and they can make it."

C.J. ran her hand through her hair.

"That's great," she said, "though I'm not sure how to proceed further with this without doing some research."

"Murray's offered to help with the financial information," Matt said, "In fact, he said he had some documents to fax me that should be helpful."

C.J. perked up.

"That's great," she said, "We could use a break."

Slade nodded.

"Well I guess I'd better head back," he said, "C.J. how about you and I have lunch and plan some strategy?"

C.J. looked over at Matt.

"I'm about to have some lunch," he said, "then I've got some more work to do here."

She hesitated and then nodded.

"Okay Slade," she said, "I guess it will help us get ready for tonight. Maybe between the two of us, we can come up with something definite."

They both got back on their horses and rode off as Matt watched. His jaw clenched as he continued towards his horse to get his lunch.

* * *

C.J. and Slade reached the barnyard and he tied up his horse while she unsaddled hers and put her in the corral. They headed into the ranch house and she prepared some iced tea and some sandwiches from leftovers which they took into the living room.

He settled in his chair while she took the couch and started in on her sandwich.

"So what do you think we should do," he asked.

She thought about it for a moment, several ideas coming to mind but none settling.

"I'm not sure," she said, "I'd really like to see that research that Murray's sending."

"We could file some legal papers in court," he said, "an injunction against the bank."

She bit her lip in thought.

"That might work," she said, "Buy us some time with the temporary, but it's not likely any judge will grant the permanent."

"How much time do you think we need to buy?"

She bit into her sandwich mentally calculating her way through a legal process she had used many times while working in the corporate sector.

"About two weeks," she said, "Three would be better."

"I think it would take three weeks for the bank to force a hearing given the logjam in the county courts," Slade said, "Unless the bank has some powerful players in its payroll."

C.J. knitted her brow, hoping that wouldn't be the case but of course, it would as she had figured out that there must be some powerful forces in the wings pulling some serious strings already.

"I think it's a given that they do," she said, "and soon enough they'll show their faces but I'm all for filing in court if the ranchers want to pursue that option."

They fell silent for a moment.

"He seemed a little tense back there," Slade said.

C.J. looked up in surprise.

"You mean Houston…I didn't notice."

Slade scratched his head.

"I had told him about some men I saw earlier on your property."

C.J.'s eyebrows rose.

"What were they doing?"

"They looked like they were passing through," Slade said, "Though I can't be sure."

C.J. pursed her lips.

"I did run into one the other day while I was at the stable," she said, "He said he was looking for work. I gave him your name as a referral."

Slade frowned.

"No one ever showed up."

"Well, it's that time of year when there might be ranch hands looking for seasonal work," she reasoned, "He didn't seem threatening."

Slade sighed, shaking his head.

"C.J., you really shouldn't be alone by yourself without…"

She rolled her eyes at him and he knew immediately he had said the wrong thing.

"A man to protect me," she finished, "Really, of all the chauvinistic things to say…"

He held up his hand.

"I am only looking out for you C.J."

She shook her head.

"You never did that even when we were together," she said, softly, "And this isn't about looking after me anyway…I can handle myself and just about anyone who chooses to mess with me."

And as she said that, she knew it was true. She could handle herself in a fight and had done so and she could pick and shoot a bottle among a row of them on a target a hundred feet away. Unlike other men she had known, Matt had taught her the skills she needed to protect herself and had helped her hone them when they had been younger, even before their lives had taken a more dangerous turn. She had asked him to help her protect herself and he hadn't passed judgment, but had agreed to teach her.

"C.J., I've already told you that I was sorry about those other women," he said, "It was a serious lapse of judgment on my part."

"More like several," she said.

"But my comment still stands," Slade said, "You really shouldn't be by yourself when there are strange men wandering around."

She shook her head and slammed her ice tea glass on the table.

"Okay Slade, do you want me to prove to you that I can handle myself," she said, "because this living room floor's about big enough for me to take you down if you'd like."

He looked at her uncertainly, and then pulled at his collar.

"That might be fun," he said, "but I told you the other day, I'm not interested in a casual encounter."

As if she had needed to be reminded. She smiled back more sweetly than her eyes did.

"That's great Slade," she said, "Because I've decided that hitting the sheets with you would have been a mistake anyway."

He looked at her, tilting his head.

"You're right," he said, "But what I didn't tell you was that it would have been a mistake because I'm interested in us being involved…more seriously than that."

Her eyes widened.

"You're what?"

He looked away and then his eyes returned, wearing a more contrite expression.

"C.J., sabotaging my relationship with you was a terrible error on my part," he said, "I know you have every right to tell me that you're not interested…"

"But you want me to give you another chance," C.J. finished for him.

He nodded, slowly, waiting for her answer. But she looked at him, and hesitated at saying anything, searching her mind for the right words.

"C.J…I just asked you something…"

"I heard you," she said, "I'm a bit shocked at your change of heart."

He smiled sheepishly.

"What can I say," he said, "I guess this clean air has had its effect on my mind and cleared it a bit."

She sighed.

"Slade, look I just want to keep our relationship as business," she said, "You might be a reformed bad boy but I think I'm just done with them."

"C.J., I can prove to you I've really changed," Slade said, "if you give me the chance."

"Maybe," C.J. said, "but I've moved on Slade and I'm opening myself up to other possibilities out there."

He looked at her, surprised.

"Anyone I know?"

She hesitated.

"I'd really rather not talk about this," she said, "Let's stick to safer topics like how we're going to work together with the ranchers to help save their spreads."

The disappointment which had spread across his features didn't lesson but he forced a smile on his face as he nodded in agreement and C.J. felt the load lessen.

"Okay if that's how you want it to be," he said, "We'll focus on business then."

C.J. looked at him and knew he'd get over any disappointment he felt pretty quickly. She knew in her heart that while Slade might have slowed down, he still was every bit the ladies' man. Like someone else she knew, she thought with a sigh.

* * *

Matt finished his lunch and taking off his shirt again, waded out into the water to fix some of the loosened planks on the dock that was submerged. The sun beat down on his skin but the water provided plenty of relief, even though it felt chilly through his jeans. He thought about his conversation with Slade and wondered if the ex-financial whiz turned rancher still carried a torch for his ex. And was C.J. still interested in him despite what she had told Matt? He knew that a leopard didn't change his spots and if she got back together with Slade, she'd get hurt again. But then again, what about him? Matt knew that many people believed him to be a player and the columnists wrote him up as the ultimate jet set playboy and truth be told, Matt had enjoyed living up to that image most of his life. But in between playing that role, he had met women and fallen in love with them and had his heart broken too. Not that the press ever followed the story of his romantic pursuits to that inevitable conclusion, painting him instead as the foot loose and fancy-free millionaire who could buy any woman on his arm.

C.J. had always known that the more serious man had existed underneath the one that lit up parties and made galas memorable, even when she teased him about his image. And she had been there when his heart had been broken by a woman, taking him out to dinner to allow him to be the person he really was just as he had done the same for her when it was her turn.

His thoughts returned as they had been threatening to do all day to that kiss they shared between them in the orchard this morning. And he knew that she had participated in it as much as he had and that she had enjoyed it too. But afterward when the moment between them had passed…had slipped inside both their memories for safekeeping, they had just continued on with their day as if nothing had happened. As if nothing had changed in their relationship.

When the truth was, in that moment they shared, everything had changed.


	25. Chapter 25

The latest installment of this story is up. Alas, the Season I of the DVD which I'm still watching has unduly influenced me. I hope you enjoy it and thanks for reading and the feedback!

* * *

C.J. just looked at Slade, thinking that true to his word, he had kept the discussion focused on business after she had nixed his invitation to essentially pick up where they left off after she had caught him with another woman and they'd broken up. Before finding out that there had been other women, while they had been involved with each other that she didn't find out about until later when some of the women in Slade's black book got together and compared notes. The man had a great build which he had honed playing racquet ball three days a week and through daily runs on the bike path parallel to the ocean and she had a great time with him during most of the time they had been together. And the sexual chemistry between the two of them had been…great. Obviously the other women he had kept hidden from her felt the same way about him.

As far as having a casual fling went, she could do a lot worse than Slade, especially given that they were now neighbors but it had been him who called a halt to that plan when he had told her he wanted something more serious than some afternoon fun. She knew she didn't want to go that road again, the one that he wanted to revisit with her. While the fling had definitely tempted her, she knew she didn't want more than that with Slade.

In between that time…her body flushed with warmth…she and Matt had kissed in the orchard. No great words of pronouncement had followed it, not that she had expected any but he hadn't joked about it either as he had tried to brush them off in the past. She had felt the usual uncertainty after their kiss, half wondering if their friendship would suddenly crash and burn and then chalked it off to being silly. Of course it wouldn't and didn't, their day continued on just as it would if they hadn't met up in the orchard. She marveled at his ability to do that but then Matt had kissed many women and probably more than one in an orchard.

"C.J…"

She looked up suddenly.

"What…did you say something," she asked.

"I was telling you about that there's a judge who might be sympathetic to us."

She searched her memory for anything that might relate to that and then shook her head.

"I'm sorry," she said, "My mind wandered. That's great news Slade…"

He looked at her pointedly.

"Were you even paying attention?"

"A thought just hit me out of the blue, that's all. I think I got the gist of it," she said.

He looked at her doubtfully.

"Are you ready to go forward on this," he said, "You're the one who'll have to argue it before the judge so I think you'd want one who's sympathetic."

She snorted.

"I can handle that part of it just fine no matter who's sitting on the bench," she said, "but we'll have to have a plan before we even file."

"We'll need to talk to Ruth Ann and the others before we can do that," he said.

She nodded and then raised her brows.

"Anything else?"

He leaned forward in his chair and paused before looking at her.

"I meant what I said," he said, "about really being a better man this time."

She just looked at him, her eyes flashing but not really out of anger. After all, she did remember how persistent he had been before they went out.

"There's not going to be a 'this' time," she said, "You had our chance and you blew it."

He frowned.

"There's always room in life for a second chance," he pressed, "If you just give it a trial run…"

She shook her head.

"Like I told you Slade," she said, "I think I'm finally finished with bad boys and am ready to move on."

His brows furrowed.

"You think I'm a bad boy," he said, "Is that really fair C.J.?"

She sipped her drink, wishing for a moment it was a Scotch.

"You cheated on me, Randy accused me of cheating on him, Robert…"

Slade threw his hands up in the air.

"Don't compare me with that psychopath," he said, "Robert's in prison on murder and kidnapping charges."

She relented.

"Okay maybe Robert's in his own category," he said, "but you made your decision when we were in a relationship together and you can't expect me to go down that road again."

He shook his head.

"This coming from a woman who came on to me the other day," he said, "and wanted to skip the preliminaries."

She folded her arms.

"That's a bit of an exaggeration don't you think?"

He shook his head.

"Not much," he said.

She sighed.

"Maybe we'd better stick to business," she said, "We've got a lot of work to do."

Slade nodded and pulled out some more papers for her to read, while sitting back and watching her.

* * *

Matt kept busy himself finishing up the portion of the dock near its end and looked at the pile of rotted wood that had piled up on the shore, all of which had been replaced with new wood which would be them be reattached to the part of the dock he had already finished. He sat back on the shore to dry off, more than ready to call it a day and finish the rest of it tomorrow. The sky was clear, except for the tufts of cottony white which floated across it, similar to clouds which preceded the monsoons which blew through the valley during the heat of the summer. A hint of humidity hugged the air and as soon as the sun had squeezed the moisture out of his clothes, he'd get his horse and head back to the guest house to see what Murray had faxed him that would help C.J. and Slade.

C.J. and Slade.

Formerly, a couple and now working together to help the ranchers in the valley keep their spreads from falling into the hands of a banker. Matt knew the two of them could get the job done but he still didn't trust Slade or his intentions towards C.J. He remembered when the two of them had been an item and how he had run into C.J. hitting the Scotch not long after she broke up with him. That had caught his attention because normally she hadn't been much of a drinker and she had hit the wet bar by the time that he had arrived to pick up some paperwork from the office. He had pulled her against him on the couch and she had wrapped her arms around him while mumbling about something that made no sense. She had finally fallen asleep before waking up the next morning with a glorious hangover and three court cases on her docket. Of course she had aced all of them, as she usually did, determined to not let whatever had gone on in her personal life get in the way of conducting business.

With time, she had gotten over Slade, and had moved on. But her recent behavior had really thrown Matt through a loop and he had breathed a quiet sigh of relief when she had returned from Slade's having not gone through with her plan to hook up with him again. For her own well being of course, it had nothing to do with his own feelings for his best friend.

Not the feelings that had burgeoned when he had acted on impulse and kissed her in the orchard and not those that threatened to cause him to lose control and say some things that might get him into a little bit of trouble with the woman who had always kept him at arms' length. After all, when they broke for air, she had just looked at him and hadn't said anything all the way back to the barnyard. He had to resist the urge to…well to continue where he had left off but then as they looked up, they had seen Bo and Lamar talking to their two young ranch hands. He furrowed his brow at the direction his mind had been heading in, the thoughts that he and C.J. could ever be anything more than best friends who were very close but not as close as he wanted to be. Oh, he had flirted with the idea over the years, in between women naturally and a couple times when he had broached the subject, she had been sharp enough to call him on that. She had made it clear since they were in their teens that she would never be a stand in for anyone else, a notch on his belt while he waited for the next "real thing" to come around. Their friendship meant too much to her, she said more than once, including one time when they had been watching fireworks from the balcony of his father's ranch house and had gotten a little bit frisky.

What had begun as a friendly kiss had turned into something else. Maybe it had been the result of a festive day winding down, a day spent at a rodeo where Matt had won third place in the bronco riding competition before they had all settled down for one of the barbecues his daddy had been famous for holding each year. Matt had just broken up with Priscilla and C.J. would be heading off to spend a month in Dallas clerking for a federal judge so they spent the remaining time that they had together. He couldn't remember whether he had kissed her or she had kissed him but about the time he had slipped his hands beneath her shirt, touching the lacy edges of her bra, she had pulled away, her face flushed.

"I can't do this Houston," she said, rearranging her shirt.

"There's no one around to bother us," he said, looking at her rosy cheeks and the mouth he had just kissed a moment ago.

She sighed, trying to collect her breath, her fingers trembling as she smoothed out her clothes.

"That's not the point," she said, "I can't do this with you. You're my best friend."

He leaned back in his chair, folding his arms.

"I know that," he said, "but haven't you ever thought…"

Of course she had, she told him. But she also knew her best friend almost as well as he knew himself and Matt loved women. He loved spending time with them and had dated most of them in their social circle. None of them lasted very long and he seemed to prefer it that way. Matt hadn't liked what she had told him and he had bristled under her analysis plenty but looking back, he realized that she had spoken the truth and she hadn't done it to hurt him but to protect herself from being hurt. And he knew now, he would have wound up hurting her because the truth was, he was footloose and fancy free, a man who had attracted many women with his easy going manner and his bank account. And he had felt guilty later on, because in that moment, she had valued her deep friendship with him more than he had.

Matt sighed, looking at the sky begin to change. The wind began to pick up and the leaves in the nearby trees began to rustle. A horse whinnied and he picked himself up and decided to head back before it started to rain.

* * *

C.J. and Slade finished up their work as the thunder rolled in the distance. She left him and walked over to the window.

"It looks like Houston was right with his forecast," she said, "It's going to rain."

Slade shrugged.

"It'll rain a bit and then it will clear up," he said, "That will cool off the night some."

She nodded, remembering how much she had both enjoyed and feared the monsoons, growing up in Texas. Mostly, the summers were dry, with rain a distant memory but when the skies opened up each afternoon for several weeks, the dry stream beds turned into raging rivers as the water often came down too quickly for the earth to quench its thirst.

"I'm sure he's heading back," Slade said, "He's no fool."

C.J. knew that were true but she hoped that if it got too intense while he was up in the higher meadow, that he would take cover until the worst of it would pass. She and Slade walked outside and saw the dust swirling on the ground and the skies darken. Bo and Lamar walked towards her, with the younger hand trying to keep his hat on his head.

"It's going to come down any minute," Bo said, "I'll go check on Beulah. She hates thunder."

"Your ex-wife or the pig," Lamar asked.

Bo just shot him a look and answered that question by heading to the barn. C.J. went out and looked around for any sign of Matt or the sound of approaching hoof beats. Slade said his goodbyes and that he would be doing more research after he put his yearlings back in the barn. Lulu walked up to C.J. just as Slade left.

"He sure spends a lot of time here," she noted.

"He's been very busy helping those ranchers," C.J. said, "We're trying to do whatever we can to help them."

Lulu nodded.

"He's pretty fine looking," she said, "but not like Matt."

C.J. suppressed a smile.

"They both have their high points," she said, "And they both enjoy helping people."

Lulu seemed to accept that explanation and headed back to the barn to finish working. At about that time, the skies suddenly opened up and C.J. felt herself getting drenched. She went to the paddock to get Cayenne who was pacing around in circles. Grabbing her halter, she attached a shank to it that had been draped on the fencing and talking softly to her, led her out of the paddock towards the barn. She heard hoof beats then and saw Matt galloping in her direction on his horse and felt relief fill her. He dismounted and led his horse alongside her.

"How's she handling," he asked.

"She's pretty calm about everything," C.J. said, "comes from having championship bloodlines."

"You look pretty calm," he noted.

She laughed.

"You look pretty wet."

He gestured towards the barn.

"Let's get these horses settled in and then we'll get into some dry clothes," he said.

She paused.

"There's a few of your relics in the main house," she said, "Why don't you come inside and I'll make us up something to drink?"

He smiled at her, liking that plan.

"Okay," he said, "That'll be a date."

Her eyes shot at him in surprise but her lips curled upward.

"We're not dating," she said, "One kiss doesn't a relationship make…"

They began to unsaddle their horses inside the barn where Bo tended to Beulah who actually looked less agitated than Bo did.

"But it was a great kiss wasn't it," he said.

She couldn't really argue with that as it had taken her most of the afternoon to come down from it. But she studied his face to try to read what he was really thinking.

"It wasn't…bad," she said, "But why did you do it?"

He just looked at her, not expecting that question. After all, they'd kissed in the past and she had appeared to just accept them as expressions of their deep friendship. Not much else than that.

"I'm not sure why I did it," he admitted, "I know I should have an answer to that question but I'm not finding it."

She stroked Cheyenne's mane. Matt watched the filly close her eyes beneath her gentle touch.

"Houston…I don't want it to mess up what we have which is a great friendship…"

He removed his horse's saddle and put it away then he came back and looked at her, his brown eyes looking serious. Enough to grab her attention, away from tending the filly.

"All I know is that at that second, that's all I wanted to do," he said, "and I've been thinking about it all day."

She bit her lip.

"Me too," she said, "and I tried to focus on not messing up the paint job on the stable but all I could think about was this morning."

She patted Cheyenne and led her to her stall. Matt followed with his horse. They saw Lulu cleaning some tack near the back stall. She looked up at them.

"Oh don't stop talking on my account," she said, "I'm finding this very educational."

Matt and C.J. looked at each other, suddenly speechless and looking everywhere else in the barn but each other. Lulu just sighed.

"Look if you've been mooning all day over some kissing you did," she said, "You should just stop doing that and just get it on."

C.J. blanched a bit at the suggestion coming from the teen's mouth.

"It's not like that between us," she said, then wondered why she felt she had to explain anything.

Lulu shook her head at the both of them.

"Didn't sound like that to me a moment ago," she said, "If you want, I can leave early and you two can have the barn to yourselves to figure it out."

Matt suppressed a smile at Lulu's forthrightness. It reminded him of another teenager that he had known while growing up.

"No we're finished here," C.J. said, leaving the barn while Matt looked at her go, his smile suddenly showing.

* * *

Matt changed his clothes in the spare bedroom inside the main ranch house because just like C.J. had told him, he had left a few items of clothing after moving out. When he ran into C.J. in the kitchen, she had put a kettle on to boil some tea and had poured herself a mug.

"There's some beer in the frig," she said, glancing at him before looking out the window at the rain streaming down. She knew that the storm would soon end nearly as quickly as it had begun but what about the one brewing inside her? The man she had known all of her life was standing right behind her and suddenly she couldn't look at him.

"C.J…nothing's going to happen between us unless it's what you really want."

She turned around then.

"I don't know what I want Houston," she said, "A couple days ago I wanted to get it on as Lulu delicately put it with my ex-boyfriend."

"But you didn't go through with it," he reminded her gently.

She moved into the living room and he grabbed his beer and followed her. Sitting on the couch, she patted for him to join her. He sat down comfortably beside her as she sipped her tea.

"Because he put a stop to it," she said.

"You would have if he didn't," he responded.

She narrowed her eyes.

"How do you know," she asked.

His gaze at her was direct.

"Because I know you," he said, "and you don't really want to get back together with him."

She folded her arms.

"You seem so sure about that," she said, "but you're right too. Only Slade told me today he wants something more serious, like we had before."

Matt set his jaw.

"He cheated on you C.J.," he said, "That doesn't sound like he took that relationship seriously to me."

She looked at her hands.

"For a while I thought it was me," she said, "Maybe I pushed him too hard."

He reached for her hand and held it in his own, curling his fingers around her own.

"There's nothing wrong with you," he said, "It seems to me when a guy cheats, then he's the one with the problem."

She nodded thoughtfully, knowing that he spoke the truth. It just had taken her a long while to accept that Slade's own actions were exactly that and hadn't been her fault. Matt had helped her reach that point, in fact he had been much better than doing that than the Scotch she had drunk after the final blow up with Slade.

"Randy accused me of cheating on him," she admitted after a period of silence.

Matt's brows rose. He hadn't known what had happened to end that particular relationship.

"He never seemed to me the secure type," he noted.

"Well, there was a reason for that," she started slowly.

He waited for her to continue, sipping his beer.

"What was that?"

She pressed her lips together.

"He thought I wanted you," she admitted, "Let's just say during a delicate moment, your name came up."

Now that had shocked him and she turned away from him at that moment. But he said nothing, waiting to see if she would share anymore of that revelation she had just dropped with him. Finally she turned around to face him.

"I don't want to get into the reasons why it wouldn't have worked," she said, "They don't really matter."

One of his brows arched in response and she sighed.

"That relationship is water under the bridge," she said, "Besides he's already back together with his ex."

"That was fast," he said, then asked the question that hung in the air between them, "did you want me?"

She looked conflicted then.

"No…yes…I don't know," she said, "You were with Serena and it looked serious…your first…"

"Serious relationship since Elizabeth," he finished.

She looked away.

"Well I wouldn't put it that way," she said.

He sighed, picking up his beer and looking at it.

"I was pretty footloose the past few months," he admitted, "I think I did it to forget the pain. I really did love her."

She felt the lingering pain in his voice.

"I know you did," she said, "I'm sorry if I ever made you believe I didn't think you would ever be serious about one woman."

"There's been a few serious women in a sea of others," he said, "which is why I'd been doing some thinking about what I want in a relationship."

She chuckled.

"You and me both," she said, "albeit we're heading in opposite directions."

"Maybe not…"

She glanced up at him.

"What do you mean," she said.

He didn't answer her question with words. Instead he reached for her again and drew her in an embrace which made her feel both safe and…not so safe at all. This time, he stroked her mouth gently before he took it with his own. She accepted what he had to offer, her heart matching pace with his own, and her arms wrapped around him of their own volition and this time, felt much better than this morning.

This time seemed to promise much more.


	26. Chapter 26

Here's the latest installment of this FF story. Hope you like it, thanks for reading and the comments and yes, Matt's a clueless pain in the ass sometimes (like when he ditched C.J. to go to the fights with Vince…grrr) but he'll get it eventually. ;-)

* * *

Wow, was all she thought when they came up for air this time, but what had he been thinking? They looked at each other, their faces inches apart on the couch, a moment suspended in time that she wouldn't forget soon.

Then he waggled his brows at her and she held up her hand.

"Don't you dare go making that frog sound again…"

He looked hurt but she could see a trace of mischief in his eyes behind it.

"I wouldn't even think of it," he said, "That was back when I was young and foolish."

She relaxed, with a smile.

"And getting over what's her name," she said, "the international model who you called…'Squeaky'?"

"You had to have been there," he said, drolly.

"No thanks," she said, "I think I have a pretty good idea what happened."

He sighed.

"She was really something back in the day," he said, "but we would have never worked out. We were just too different…She hated frogs…"

C.J. almost laughed at the indignant look on his face. Now that was genuine given Matt's real love for the amphibians. After all, she still tended to his colony of them which were still living and reproducing happily on his ranch.

"But you…seem to like them."

"Of course I do," she said, "What's not to like?"

He reached for her hand and rubbed it between his own.

"You know…when I saw you holding Hildegaard with that cute little bow around her, you really knocked me through a loop."

"I thought 'Squeaky' had already done that," C.J. said, "but what was she thinking trying to rekindle things with you, she was already engaged to a senator."

"Yeah well, it was a little trip down memory lane…that didn't go very far."

She looked at him for a long moment and her mouth twitched. For a moment, he thought she might joke about it to keep things light between them and at the same time, push him back over the line that somehow had been etched between them. He couldn't even think back far enough to remember how that happened.

"Houston, what did we just do a moment ago?"

He kept her hand in his and she always loved it when he did that with his fingers, almost subconsciously or so she thought until one day she had asked him about it and he had mentioned having dated a woman who had been well versed in acupressure techniques. She had felt that twinge of jealousy go through her as quickly as it had quite a few times, so much so she barely caught it anymore.

"I thought we just shared an amazing kiss," he said, innocently enough.

"But why are we doing this," she asked, "Why now?"

He remained silent for a moment and she could tell he was thinking about it.

"This doesn't have anything to do with Slade does it?"

He looked at her suddenly.

"Why do you ask that?"

She pulled her hand away from his.

"Because we've been friends for most of our lives and okay, we've kissed before but it's never gone anywhere because we both had an understanding…"

"What understanding is this," he asked.

Now irritation filled her though she tried to keep it under wraps.

"You know what I mean," she said, "That we mutually decided not to risk our friendship over some meaningless fling."

His jaw set and she could tell he didn't care for her choice in vocabulary but she couldn't take it back now. She wasn't sure she wanted to do that anyway.

"C.J. I don't think of anything about you or anything that we shared would ever be meaningless."

She relented.

"Okay maybe not…"

"No maybes, I mean what I just said."

He wasn't making this easier for her that was for certain so she tried another approach.

"Okay, but we've never well you know…"

"Made love?"

The way he said those two words drew color into her cheeks and she couldn't hide it from him so she took a few deep breaths.

"For you, it might be more like having sex…"

She got up and walked away from him towards the window, but damn it, he just wasn't going to let her do that, keep putting distance between them every time "the issue" arose. So he got up off of the couch and joined her. She didn't acknowledge that or him but kept staring out at the rain.

"That's not fair C.J.," he said, "That's not how I would ever think of anything like that with you."

Her brow rose though he couldn't see it. So he had been thinking about what it would be like…but she couldn't really call him on it because if he could take a look inside her dreams lately…

She finally turned around to face him.

"I'm sorry for being so flippant but Houston, you've had many casual relationships with women and I'm not judging you, but I don't want to be on that list of women that you love for a while and then walk away…Our friendship means too much to me to throw it away on scratching some itch."

He folded his arms at her and she knew then that she had hit a raw nerve or two, but she called it as she saw it and she wasn't going to change that part of herself for anyone even him.

"Is that what you think I do in my relationships with women," he said, "that it doesn't mean anything more than physical attraction?"

She folded her arms right back at him and rose that brow this time when he could see its arch.

"Houston, like I said, I go to the office and you're kissing some blonde or brunette on the helipad and then you walk away as if she weren't there in your arms a minute ago."

"It's not quite like that C.J…"

"Maybe," she conceded, "but I told you earlier that's something that I wish I could do sometimes."

His face softened just a bit.

"And I told you that I envied your ability to put everything that's you into your relationships. I wish I had done that more often."

She nodded.

"It means getting hurt sometimes to do that," she noted.

"I know."

"I thought I could change that but I can't Houston," she said, "certainly not with you. So if all you're interested in is a quick roll on the couch…"

He grabbed her arms so that she had to look at him.

"While that would be pleasurable for both of us, that's not what I want."

She had no doubt that he was right about the pleasure, but she knew that would never be enough for her. Okay, maybe with Slade or even Randy but not her best friend. And if it were more than enough for him…she just didn't want to travel down that road and then after things crashed and burned; have to rebuild a friendship she treasured more than just about anything from the ashes. She removed herself from his hands and put her hands on her hips.

"So what do you want?"

A crash answered her question coming from somewhere outside. The rain had tapered off some but she saw Bo and Lamar running to an area just in front of the barn.

"Damn, what's happening now," she said, moving towards the front door.

He followed her as they both ran outside and saw that one of the trees had fallen on the ground near the corral but fortunately just grazing the fencing.

"The tree just fell over," Lamar said.

"I can see that," Matt said, "I guess we're going to have to cut it into smaller pieces and haul it away."

C.J. ran her hand through her hair.

"The saw's in the barn somewhere," she said, "Bo you go and fetch it and we'll move the horses just in case."

* * *

A couple of hours, the sun had began to set, having returned in time to burn away the storm clouds that hadn't been blown off towards the eastern ridge. They had cleared out the tree and cleaned the area of debris before heading off to finish off the previous night's leftovers. The conversation between her and Matt had been much safer than what they had shared earlier even while they washed dishes afterward in her kitchen, their shoulders brushing. His mood had been light and except for flicking soap bubbles at her when her face was turned, he had kept pretty much to himself.

She on the other hand, couldn't stop thinking about how he had never really asked her question about what he did want from her. And she hadn't wanted to step back into that mine field again so instead she stuck to her nightly ritual of a glass of wine and a soothing soak in the hot tub. This of course was duly interrupted by a phone call from Shelia right on schedule.

"Hi girlfriend," Shelia breezed then skipped past the pleasantries, "So have you gotten down and dirty yet and who was the lucky guy?"

"Boy you just cut right to the chase don't you?"

"I have to," Shelia said, "My own life is so boring right now. Being an urbanite isn't all it's cracked up to be."

C.J. chuckled.

"The rural life does have its moments," she admitted.

Shelia whistled on the other end.

"Oooh I knew you'd have something to report," she said, excitedly.

C.J. hesitated.

"There's something going on that's really strange between Houston and me."

That snagged her friend's interest quickly.

"Oh how so?"

"We kissed," she said, "Twice, once in the orchard and the other time on the couch."

"Wow, you don't waste any time at all."

C.J. felt a flash of irritation.

"It's not like that at all," she said, "It just happened…"

"Both times?"

She heard the skepticism in Shelia's voice and she knew that it wasn't without good reason. Because there had been something less spontaneous about the second time.

"So what happened after that?"

"After what?"

"After you two got on the couch and lip locked."

C.J. sighed.

"We talked about it."

"Say what girlfriend," Shelia said, "Did I just hear you right? What the hell is there to talk about? I'll tell you if I had a drop dead gorgeous cowboy like him in my lap I wouldn't waste any time on words. That's not the only thing a mouth is good for you know, not even my favorite thing…"

C.J. chuckled.

"I know what you'd do, but you're not me and he's not just any guy," she said, "He's my best…"

"Most cherished friend from childhood," Shelia finished, "Yeah we all know that story in L.A. about the two of you."

Oh yeah, the social columns, C.J. remembered who always seemed to paint her as some wistful wall flower waiting in the wings for Matt to notice her. She had stopped reading them but Shelia and a couple others had dutifully kept her up to date on that saga.

"So what does Slade think about you and Matt getting hot and heavy?"

Slade…oh yeah, C.J. thought.

"He wanted to get back together with me," she said, "You know in a serious kind of way rather than just having sharing some good times."

Shelia snorted.

"That guy's an ass," she said, "I hope you told him where to put it…which is somewhere else."

"Shelia…"

Damn her friend and her double entendres that would slip past most people.

"Well forget old Slade anyway since he's clearly yesterday's news," Shelia continued, "Back to Matt…what does he want from all this?"

C.J. furrowed her brow.

"I don't know," she said, "We got interrupted during that part of the conversation."

"Like I said, the two of you do way too much talking and not enough of what you should be doing," Shelia commented, "I mean if you're really not interested, you can just send him my way."

C.J. laughed.

"What about Phil?"

"Oh he's fine only now it's Lance…"

Her friend wasn't much different than Matt, in that she loved to play the field and call the shots on how long her relationships lasted. Only society didn't view women who played that role in the same light that it viewed men who did that. Especially women who were trying to be taken seriously in high-powered careers. After all, C.J. hadn't even been that hard core and she'd been called a ball buster more than once…once by a now ex-client of Matt's.

"You and Houston, you're just much better at this than I am," she said, finally, "In the past year or so, it's been Robert the homicidal news anchor, Slade the financial whiz with a string of women and Randy…well that's a whole different story…"

"I don't think I ever heard that one," Shelia noted.

"There's not much to tell," C.J. said, "He thought I was hung up on Houston the whole time."

"And why would he assume that?"

C.J. paused.

"Let's just say during a very…heated moment, I got the two confused and leave it at that," she said, clearly embarrassed.

Shelia naturally ignored both her discomfort and her attempts to close the book on that topic.

"Oh my god," she said, "That's really…interesting. Freud would have a field day with you."

"I'm glad you think so," C.J. said, "Randy wasn't amused. That torch blew out very quickly."

"The two men aren't anything alike," Shelia said, "How did you…never mind."

C.J. looked at her watch.

"Listen, I'd love to rehash my relationship faux pas further but I got to hit the sack," she said, "I've got a big day tomorrow."

* * *

Sleep didn't come easier to her and it certainly didn't to Matt who tossed and turned in his own bed before getting up and pulling some milk out of the frig to heat up on the stove. His father had done this for him during many sleepless nights he had experienced as a little boy recovering from a traumatic kidnapping. Some of the closest moments between father and son had been spent in the wee hours of the morning, with darkness all around them while sitting at the table drinking warm milk. A sprinkle of cinnamon made it palatable but it had worked its magic on helping him settle into a more restful sleep as had the time spent with his very busy jet setting father.

It didn't help him as much as he had hoped on this night. He rubbed his eyes and sat down, finishing the milk and revisiting as he had been doing the past several hours that conversation, better known as a can of worms that he had opened between him and his lifelong friend. Well, actually he almost made it to that part of what happened because that kiss which electrified the air between him more surely than the thunderstorm outside jumped inside his head first. And he knew before the uncertainty had veiled her eyes that she had enjoyed it as much as he did. But then she had pushed him away from her, putting that wall up between them, the one she believed was necessary to preserve their friendship. But hell, he never really bought into that and maybe that was just a fundamental difference between men and women. That sex would ruin a perfectly good friendship and he had been very doubtful back when they had been younger and had been flirting with that line between them, but years later, he did realize what she had been trying to tell him. That it just couldn't be as casual between the two of them that either might wish it to be and that the heart that could be broken in the process could just as easily be his own.

He had walked away from many relationships after he had been done with it and probably had left a broken heart or two behind him. In one case, a woman who was psychologically unbalanced had gone on a murderous spree after he dismissed her as a one-night stand and perhaps thinking back, he had done it more casually than he should have done.

But now looking ahead at what had sparked up between the two of them once again, he remained determined to set a different course this time, one to push their relationship in a whole new direction. As he headed back to bed, he thought of how she could get her to see the possibilities that were out there for both of them. Somehow he had to find that path, and as he made that decision, he settled his head on his pillow and this time, sleep did come.


	27. Chapter 27

Here's the next installment of this FF story. Hope you enjoy it and thanks for reading and the feedback.

* * *

They walked together through the large square highlighted by a large fountain, their friendship barely hanging together by a thread. Matt had been looking around, for the faceless people that he had been warned would be watching his every move. Vince, just gesticulated with his hands and stared at him incredulously, in total disbelief that Matt had plans to recant his eyewitness testimony that had threatened to send a trained terrorist away for a long time. How could be put that piece of garbage back on the streets, Vince asked shaking his head just at the thought.

"It is up for the judge to decide," Matt interrupted, "Now the law says beyond a reasonable doubt and I've got a doubt Vince."

His face changed and he wagged his finger at Vince.

"I wish you understood my concern."

Vince clearly didn't and glared at him.

"What does it take, I mean I can buy a rummy with a pint of Muscatel, a prison snitch with a favor or a junkie with the price of a fix…I know judges can be bought. I know cops can be bought but what does it take to buy a Matt Houston?"

Matt just stared at him stonily.

"Leave me alone Vince."

Vince refused to do just that, challenging him further, asking him what it took to buy his sudden decision to recant his testimony and set a ruthless killer free on the streets.

"What do you give a man who has everything," he continued, grasping at straws, "Educate me."

"I think I made a mistake," Matt said, his voice breaking, "All right, it's a matter of conscience."

Vince snarled.

"Here's your conscience"

Then he had done something that neither man ever thought would happen, he punched Matt in the face, knocking him on the ground before threatening to do whatever he could to thwart his plan.

"I have some testimony of my own," Vince yelled, "You make me sick."

The lieutenant stomped off and Matt just sat there during one of the darkest moments of his life never feeling more alone in the world than he had then. All the millions that he had accumulated, all the fancy toys he had bought, meaning nothing. He watched his friend disappear into the crowd, feeling utterly helpless as the warning that he had been given replayed itself in his mind.

Matt woke up with a start and looked around at the quiet of darkness around him. A cold sweat had broken, dampening his skin as he sat up in bed, the covers draped around him. Damn, he had really not needed that trip down memory lane, the day when his life had come close to falling completely apart. Back when he had ruptured his long-time friendship with Vince in his attempt to try to save C.J. from being killed by terrorists on some uncharted island, coming within a razor's edge of losing both of them.

He sat there for a moment reining in his rapid heartbeat, trying not to remember what the man who had created this nightmare had almost stolen from him. But it had all worked out as life often did soon enough even though things had seemed so hopeless at the time. Vince had put aside his anger long enough to figure out that Matt had been coerced into changing his testimony that while he couldn't be bought, he could be swayed through threats made against those he cared about. Vince had charmed his way past Matt's wall of secretaries into his friend's office only to see him nearly break down when he asked the simple question of where he could find C.J. and he had apologized to Matt for ever having any doubts.

They had teamed up to double cross Marquis Jr and he had parachuted down to the island to break out C.J. while Vince had gone for the cavalry. Then when they had wrapped up that nightmare and returned home, he and Vince had celebrated by unceremoniously ditching a trip to the opera with C.J. and Mama Noveli to go to the fights.

C.J. had been a good sport about the actions of two men sneaking out on their dates to engage in some male bonding ritual. Actually she and Mama had left the opera after the first act and had gone to late night horse racing at Los Alamitos, sinking some serious cash at the windows and coming back home richer. Then she and Mama had challenged Matt and Vince to a few rounds of pool and cleaned the two men out as well. And as he recalled, C.J. had looked damn fine doing it in her stylish dress and high heels, sinking one ball after another in its designated pocket. His heart had quickened as she held the pool cue and asked him if he wanted another round of double or nothing. When he watched her collect the winnings with a big grin on her face, he had of course begun to melt inside. But before he said anything, something inside him sobered him up quickly. Because the woman standing in front of him reminded of what he had nearly lost because one of his enemies had known just how deep his feelings for her ran.

As it turned out, even better than he did.

He sank back on the bed, trying to get back to sleep, knowing that if Marquis really was intent on coming after him, he wasn't doing the same.

* * *

C.J. blew a tendril of hair out of her face as she saddled up Chelsea in the barn. She barely paid any attention when Matt walked in to do the same with Cayenne. He threw her a smile when he led the filly out of her stall and went to get her tack.

"How you doing this morning Ms Parsons," he asked.

She threw him a sharp glance, taking in her best friend wearing his favorite pair of worn jeans and faded shirts, not to mention one of those easy grins that never failed to melt her reserve. She met him with a smile of her own.

"I'm doing just fine Houston," she said, "I slept like a baby last night."

He tried not to imagine her sleeping with her arms wrapped around the pillow tucked beneath her head while he hadn't been in his own bed worrying about the man who had terrorized them in the past. But she did look lively this morning dressed in jeans and a flowery blouse, running her fingers through Chelsea's mane.

"You look…"

She raised her brows at him waiting for him to finish but he just tended to his horse.

"Houston, you look like you didn't sleep a wink last night."

"Actually I slept just fine," he said, "I'm ready for another day of work."

She nodded.

"Finishing up the dock," she asked.

"I've got a little bit of work to finish," he said, "Should be done by this afternoon."

She smiled again, patting Chelsea.

"Then we can take your boat out of dry dock and put it there," she said, "Maybe take it across the lake some day and have some dinner."

He adjusted Cayenne's bridle while she fidgeted just a little bit.

"That'll be a date."

"Houston, we don't date," she said, "We have dinner together."

He shrugged.

"Then there's a first time for everything…"

She just looked at him, shaking her head and checked the girth.

"Whatever," she said, "I'll tell you what. I'll think about it."

"Dinner or a date?"

She laughed and led her horse out of the barn. Matt followed with his own horse.

"I'll see you later," she said to him with a wink after getting on Chelsea.

* * *

He watched her gallop off towards the stable and then his cell phone rang. Pulling it out, he saw that it was Roy.

"Hi Uncle Roy, how's life treating you," he said.

"It's beautiful up here," Roy said, "Will and I have been doing a lot of fishing."

Matt smiled, happy that the father and son who had spent far too many years apart had finally been reunited.

"I bet he's enjoying that."

Roy chuckled.

"He's a chip off the old block with the fishing reel," he said, "only he's better."

"There's been no word on Marquis since he dropped all that change in that bank account."

Roy sighed on his end.

"It could be part of a cache he's putting together to restart his organization," he said, "or he could be hiring some professionals to take care of some unfinished business here."

"The trouble is, we don't know which," Matt said, "so I'd appreciate it if the two of you would stay underground for a while longer."

"What about you and C.J.?"

Matt rubbed the back of his neck.

"We're doing just fine here," he said, "She's busy fixing up the ranch real nice and I'm busy watching her."

"Marquis used her to get to you before Matlock."

"I know that," Matt said, "He's not getting a chance to do that again."

"If he's heading in your direction, you're going to have to be ready for him."

"Oh I'll be ready for him," Matt said, "More than ready if he thinks about showing up."

"Does C.J. know?"

"No she doesn't Uncle Roy," he said, "She's got enough on her plate with the ranch…"

His uncle didn't respond.

"You think I should have told her."

"I'm thinking that you have a reason that you didn't," Roy said, "I just hope it's the right one."

* * *

C.J. checked her phone while taking a break from her work and saw that she had received some emails. She had spent the morning touching up the paint on the horse stalls and then settled down to enjoy a bottle of iced tea. The heat of the day had begun permeating inside the structure, causing sweat to bead on her face and dampen her blouse.

She frowned as she scanned her emails, her attention being drawn to one which just read, An Old Friend. She clicked onto it and read its short message.

_I look forward to getting reacquainted with you again soon. It's been a long time…too long to pass without some gentle words._

And that had been it, nothing more. Certainly no clues pointing to who might have sent it, or who to the identity of this "old friend." Her first thought was that it must be one of her ex-boyfriends, but if so which one? She knew that at least one of them, Robert didn't have access to the internet from where he sat inside a prison cell upstate though he was the only ex of hers currently in the penal system as far as she knew. He had sent her several written letters from prison begging her to reconsider her decision to break off all contact with him but maybe he had contacted someone on the outside…but then again it could be someone else from her past…or present.

She read it again, and couldn't pinpoint the intention or motive behind it from its simple language. Something about it nagged at her memories but…maybe it was Randy trying to get a rise out of her but she hadn't heard from him since that last blowup. It could also be Phil, the guy she had dumped several years ago she stopped returning his calls because Matt had disappeared and had been missing for over a month. Or James…who had dumped her after she and Matt had returned from solving the murders of several Las Vegas showgirls because he had believed that she and her business partner hadn't just been working the case together during their trip.

She shook her head, putting her phone away and returned back to work, hoping to complete her renovation of the stable so she could surprise Matt with it. And soon the email slipped from her mind completely as she settled back to her task.

* * *

Matt had been kicking back on the banks of the lake watching the paint dry on the dock, under the sun. The heat of the breeze carried a hint of moisture and he had searched the skies for clouds but saw none. He wondered what C.J. was doing and then reminded himself that naturally she was working hard fixing up the stable that had fallen into disrepair through his own neglect. A pang of guilt hit him again, but she had been insistent in wanting to do the work herself and he was to stay away until it had been finished. He hadn't known exactly why it had been so important to her but he had respected her wishes. He sipped the soda he had brought with him, grimacing because it wasn't his drink of choice and thought about Roy had said about not telling C.J. about Marquis' escape. If she ever found out, she would tar and feather him in ways only someone with a Harvard degree could do, with a tongue lashing. But she had looked so happy and so relaxed these past few days and so damn beautiful to boot. When had that happened, he asked then chided himself, remembering that had been one of the first qualities that had attracted him to her back when they were teenagers.

Before that damn tree fell and ruined their conversation, she had asked him a question that clearly mattered to her. About what he wanted from her, after she had told him she couldn't settle for a casual fling between the two of them and he had responded by saying that wasn't what he wanted either. She had been awaiting his answer, with more than a trace of wariness in her eyes and he had been trying to put the words together to chase it away. Words were never really an easy way to communicate like they were for her. Not that they weren't finding other ways to do that, he thought with a smile.

That smile left his face when he looked up and saw two of the security men approach him, both with serious looks on their faces.

"What's up fellows," he said, sitting up.

The two men looked at each other then back at him.

"Did you get any news," he pressed.

"There's more money being wired into that bank account," one of them said, "and it's being wired from somewhere in Brazil."

"Marquis can't be…"

The man shook his head.

"We're pretty sure he's still inside the country but this would mean he has accomplices outside which means he might be trying to get his network up and running."

A thousand thoughts ran inside Matt's head at what this might mean. What it might mean for him and the people he wanted to keep safe. Including the woman who was working not too far away from him, the one that Marquis had targeted to get Matt to change his testimony against his son. His mind worked quickly, as he tried to figure out the terrorist's game plan.

"I want more men assigned to Roy and Will," he said, "and a couple of more here to do perimeter."

The two men looked at each other again and nodded.

"We'll call it in and get them dispatched as soon as possible."

"Do that," Matt said, and then he heard the sound of hoof beats in the distance, coming closer.

The men turned around and looked where Matt did and saw C.J. riding her horse towards them until she reined Chelsea to a stop. She dismounted and looked at the three of them, puzzlement on her face.

"What's going on here Houston," she asked, "Who are these guys and why are they here?"

Matt hesitated, and then smiled.

"We were discussing business and they were just finishing," he said.

The men nodded and started to walk away.

"Now hold it a minute," she said, "What kind of business is so pressing they had to come all the way to the ranch?"

"Just routine," one of them said, "Nothing to concern yourself about, at all."

Matt sighed inwardly. The wrong words to say to C.J., he knew from experience unless you wanted to rouse her curiosity and then her stubbornness in that order. She frowned, looking between the three of them.

"What am I not supposed to be concerned about," she asked, folding her arms, "and why are you on my ranch?"

"C.J…"

She put her hand up.

"No Houston, there's been too many sightings of strange men wandering through the ranch in the past couple of days to be a coincidence."

"Just a business deal," Matt said, "they were just leaving, weren't you guys?"

The two men walked away and C.J. watched them a moment before turning to Matt, her brows raised. He just remained silent and finally she released it and smiled at him.

"You came here to relax, not bring your work here," she said, "Why don't you tell Murray to cut you a break?"

He took her hand in his own.

"I've got a better idea," he said, "Why don't we go over and look at the dock; see if you like it okay?"

They walked over to the finished product and C.J. had to admit that she liked how it had turned out, including the paint job. Matt had done construction while at university mostly because he had enjoyed it and had proven to be skillful with the tools. Not to mention that he looked as good with a tool belt as he did in anything else.

"It's really…nice," she said, "I might have to get some more boats to tie to it to do it justice."

"You still owe me a sailing trip," he reminded her, bringing her closer to him.

She put her hands on his chest and looked up at him, her eyes sparkling.

"Okay…but I'm still not sure I'd call it a date…"

He interrupted her analysis by wrapping his arms around her waist and drawing her closer for another one of those kisses that he enjoyed so much. She closed her eyes, inhaling his scent that she loved so much and ran her own hands through his hair, as her lips accepted his own willingly. His mouth left hers and began to travel down her neck, and her skin tingled in response.

"Oh Houston…" she murmured.

"Mmmmm….," he said, "This is really… nice."

She felt him left her up and set her on the dock as he pressed even closer, claiming her mouth again. Wrapping her legs around him, she felt his fingers trying to work the buttons on her blouse.

"Houston…"

"What…," he said, between kisses.

"We can't…"

He stopped kissing her but began stroking her back with his hands, in ways that made her want to give in but…

"I can't do this…"

"Do what?"

She put his hands on his chest again and looked straight at him, wondering if he really saw her.

All he could think about was how much he had wanted this moment between them and it hit him for the first time, how long he had wanted it. It took him a moment to realize that she had been pushing against him, trying to put some distance back between them that her feelings had shifted in a flash that somehow he had missed.

"This…here," she said, her voice filled with a mixture of emotions she couldn't begin to describe, elation, confusion, hope and a little bit of fear.

And then he returned to the present and really looked at her, he saw all of them. He slowed his breathing down and gently cupped her face with his hands.

"It's okay C.J.," he said, "It's me…Houston."

She looked at him, nodding, trying to hold onto reason.

"Exactly," she said, dropping off from the dock and standing in front of him, "I don't know if I'm ready for this…change in our relationship…I need time to think about it…this is happening so quickly."

"Yeah I know," he said, "but we've known each other forever…"

"We've been friends forever," she said, "and I don't want to lose that…I don't want to lose you…I don't want to become another one of your good times…"

When she saw his face, she almost regretted what she said, but in for a penny, in for a pound and she wanted to be honest with him.

"Is this what you think this is about," he asked, anger and she thought, hurt tingeing his voice.

She sighed and looked down at the ground for a long moment, before she could look at him and this time his face had softened.

"I don't know what to think," she said, "I don't even know what to say…except that I can't do anything with you and then walk away and pretend it never happened…I thought I could do that just like you do but I can't…and not with you…"

She looked at him again, and he saw her fighting back tears, before she walked away from him, leaving him trying to recover in her wake.


	28. Chapter 28

Here's the latest chapter of this fan fiction story. I hope you enjoy it and thanks for reading and the comments.

* * *

Matt had been invited to be on more than a few radio talk shows during his stint in the City of the Angels. He had become somewhat of a folk hero especially after he had turned his back on his life as the head of one of the nation's top conglomerates, a decision that most in the business industry viewed as being somewhat crazy. Gave the majority of his earnings to his new charity foundation and then spent the bulk of his time putting his military intelligence training and investigative skills to work. More than a few business analysts had a field day with that decision.

He had wound up spending one early morning on the famed radio show, Mark and Brian, arriving before the sun had even risen above the horizon while the two men grilled him on his life and vocational choices.

"You made millions to prove to your old man that you could do it on your own," one of them he couldn't remember which one asked, "and then you gave it all up, the business trips, the executive board invitations, the keys to the kingdom that most of us can only dream about…to become a hired hack who sits in cars with binoculars all day and watches people?"

That summary of one of the most important decisions in his life had given Matt pause and he almost retorted something back before realizing he needed to save his energy for the portion of the interview pertaining to his social calendar and reputation as one of L.A.'s reputable playboys. And he couldn't blame the two hosts for looking at him as if he were at the very least, eccentric. Because during the past year or so, most people in his business and even social circles including more than several women as pillow talk had asked him the same questions of why he had given up a bulk of his fortune. But one constant in his life had not, had simply accepted his decision and had done everything to help him change the priorities in his life as if it were just a given that he, they had needed to embrace the change that life delivered.

And that one person had just walked away from him, hiding her tears, more to add to the ones he had given her.

"C.J…"

He started to call her back and then realized that he didn't know what to say. His body still felt her in its embrace as the sensations that their interlude had brought began to fade just as she had just reached her horse and had grabbed the reins. Change had been in the wind, the most important one in his life of career trajectory changes and decision making on a dime and it was slipping away from him with each step she put between the two of them.

The interview had turned out not too badly for him and had scored the show some of its highest ratings, so much so it had been rebroadcast every day at 2 a.m. for a week timing with the release of the _People _magazine that had included him among its roster of sexiest men. And looking back, he knew he had been lying if he hadn't played that role, keeping his body fit not just for his work by swimming laps daily, running and lifting weights in his custom gym at the office. His social roster of dates had filled up rapidly even though he never really had owned that black book that had been the subject of rumor of speculation. The one that someone had claimed to have discovered in the trash and had tried to auction off on EBay.

Though seriously this whole jet set playboy reputation of his mixed a good dose of myth with reality. Yes, he had relationships to varying degrees with many beautiful women since he had been a football star in high school but mixed in his roster of so-called conquests, were several engagements and even a larger number of times when his own heart had been broken since he had fallen in love for the first time with an older woman when he had been 13. He had loved her from afar and she hadn't had a clue about the depths of his feelings…until they reunited on a case several years ago. One fiancée killed by a serial killer, another woman he loved killed years later by the same man and then there had been Elizabeth.

The most recent great love of his life. But then again, as time had passed and the ache in his heart had faded, he had realized that though he had deeply cared about her, what had been the driving force behind his decision to propose to her had been the idea of being in love, of finally finding someone to spend his life with and raise a family.

Of course the wedding had gone kaput and while he grieved the loss of Elizabeth, he soon dusted off his social calendar and returned to the game. But even though he had been able to draw a flock of women to him, he didn't feel the same rush that he had felt when he was younger. And then he hadn't even noticed when it begun to happen, but he found himself focusing on one woman in particular, the one who was running away from him and getting away.

* * *

C.J. returned to the stable and noticed that when the paint had dried, it had turned the colors a shade or two paler. She smiled as she trailed her fingers along the sides of one of the stalls which had held old Gutbuster in during his wilder days back when Matt had lived on the ranch and they had spent so many happy times here. Sitting on the chair next to the desk, she looked up at the newly polished rodeo awards and trophies that still lined the shelves showing the accomplishments of three generations of Houston men. The tears had dried up and during the ride back to the stable through the quietness of the summer afternoon, she had time to think about what had happened or nearly happened between them. When he had started unbuttoning her blouse, her skin had tingled where his fingers brushed it and his breathing which had quickened on her neck. And her body had responded to his handling as if I were familiar, even though they were crossing into unfamiliar territory that had stood between them all of these years.

But then that part of her that had held him off caught up with the rest of her that wanted to tear his clothes off and draw him inside of her, and she had pulled away. She knew that action and the words that followed had hurt him, had heard it in his voice even though he had downplayed it. She knew if she hadn't stopped him, then in a matter of minutes, their lifelong friendship would have been irrevocably changed. And for better or for worse, she wouldn't know until they had stepped across that threshold and really saw each other for the first time what would replace it.

If she had truly given herself to him in a very new and exciting way and he had walked away from it and her…sadness crept into her heart again. Because she had seen him walk away from many women, including the one who had nearly sliced her throat open because she had actually believed that Matt had left her for his best friend. And she didn't want to be added to that list.

Even with all the danger they both faced, she knew that he was the only person on this earth that could truly hurt her.

She reached out for one trophy, the one that had won him Cayenne, where he with the help of Bo and Lamar had crafted the perfect chili to win the competition and the paint filly. Oh they had tried to trick him by substituting a miniature horse and convincing Matt that it had shrunk when it had gotten wet, and when C.J. led out the real thing, the look in his eyes was that of a man in love…with a four-legged filly and not really seeing the woman next to her.

She sighed putting the trophy again and watched the streams of sunlight sift through the windows, as darkness surrounded them. In the distance, she heard the rumble of thunder.

Matt opened his eyes and looked up, nothing that the sky which had been so vividly blue when he closed his eyes had filled up with darker clouds during the time he had slipped away. Feeling the heat, he had lay on the grass near the lake and closed his eyes…just for a second he told himself. But he had fallen asleep.

They sat inside of the cabin of his Lear Jet content to let Matt's pilot fly them back to L.A. after they had refueled in Dallas. Matt had arranged for some barbecue takeout for them to enjoy on the last leg of their slight and C.J. had kicked off her shoes and joined him as Matt adjusted the armrests on several seats to give them more room. While in Dallas, they had stopped off at a condo he owned and had showered and changed, feeling much better when they reboarded the luxurious jet.

After they had eaten the delicious food, he had wrapped his arm around her and pulled her closer to him, as he had regaled her with the story of how he and Vince had teamed up to overthrow the terrorists on the plane and get onto the island without Marquis being any the wiser. When he asked her about her experience during those several days on the island without him, she had shrugged him off and had deftly changed the subject, asking him about where Vince had gotten his wings. As he watched her skillfully draw him into a boisterous conversation about the early days in L.A. before he and Vince had become close friends, something had nagged at him but he had fallen under her spell, her way of spinning words together as he often did.

As he woke up from his dream with its details fading, he felt the breeze hit his skin with a hint of warm moisture and realized as it often did this time of year, the weather changed fast. One moment the sun would be shining, the next hidden behind a layer of rain falling like sheets from the sky, the winds swirling around picking up loose dirt and grass on the ground. He heard his horse whinny in the distance and thought it might not be a bad time to head on back to the ranch house.

His horse remained tied to the fence but was tossing up her head, her eyes a bit wide from the storm that threatened to overtake them. Matt untied her and got aboard, pulling her reins and starting across the meadow.

C.J. stood by the doorway looking at the sky which had darkened as it would like clockwork this time of day for the rest of the month. The air filled with dampness and the wind felt both cool and warm on her face. She had brought Chelsea into the barn and decided to remain inside until the storm blew over on its way to the mountains.

She walked over to her horse and stroked her mane, wondering if Matt had seen the clouds and headed back to his guest house to wait it out. Hopefully he had already started back so that he and Cayenne wouldn't get caught out in it. His filly didn't have much experience being out in stormy weather and if she didn't know that Matt had been in the saddle before he had been walking, she might have been worried that the young filly might toss him before taking off. Still…

Not wanting to worry about him, she pulled out her phone and saw more emails, including another one from "An Old Friend" which naturally she decided to read first. This time there was only one sentence and it made her heart go cold.

_You have one minute to change my mind…_

_

* * *

_

Matt rode Cayenne keeping her under a tight hold so she wouldn't toss her head around and try to dash off. The tree branches rustled around them, and the long grass undulated in waves across the meadow, a sea of green and tan.

He found himself under a tree, not the best place to be during a thunder storm and wondered if C.J. were still at the stable or had headed back to the ranch in anticipation of the monsoon. Either way she would have shelter, as he knew she had too much sense than to ride around in this weather, much more than he did, he thought. The rain came down around him and he knew he would get soaked, so he made a quick decision. Not to ride back across several meadows and a formerly dry creek now turned raging stream to the ranch house but to head off to the stable instead and hole up there until the storm passed.

* * *

C.J. sat on the cot gazing at the email, unable to take her eyes off of it because now she knew… Only one person could have written and sent it and that person…no it couldn't be, he was locked up in prison as surely as her ex Robert had been and thus unable to send emails to people on the outside. She ran her hand through her hair and tried to stop herself from shaking.

Marquis Duval, Sr.

The man who had made her life hell while keeping her on his damn island, who had threatened Matt and had used her to force him to recant his eyewitness testimony that would have put his son, the assassin in prison for life. After Matt and Vince had crashed Marquis' party, the father had joined the son in the federal penal system.

No, this couldn't be him…it had to be someone playing head games with her to get him to think that it was the man who had haunted her life after he had left it. But surely he was still locked up inside a maximum security jail cell inside the most secured facility in the country, where they kept the worst criminals. But if someone was masquerading as him, did that mean that it was someone with a grudge against her, against Matt? And if so, did Matt know that a threat existed? He certainly didn't act like it, at least not while he had been visiting the ranch and working it, just as she had been doing before relaxing with some beers on his porch at the end of the day. That's when he hadn't had his hands or his lips on her.

She saw lightning flash just outside the small window, followed by a crash of thunder amid the rain striking the roof of the stable and she hoped he had made it back safely. And that danger hadn't been following just behind him.

Matt saw the stable ahead of him and rode Cayenne all the way up to the stable, jumping off and leading her inside. He looked up and saw a light shining at the end of the hallway and realized that C.J. must still be here. He put up Cayenne and then saw Chelsea standing placidly in the next stall so he walked on towards the tack room. Where he saw C.J.

She had turned around towards the door, hearing his familiar boot steps. As he entered the room, his hair drenched from the rain and his clothes wet, she just stared at him for a long moment as he took in the sight of her and saw the same earlier emotions mirrored in her eyes, along with a newer one that stopped him in his tracks.

"C.J…"

Something passed over her face as if she had made a decision and that's when she walked purposely towards him and threw her arms around him, drawing him closer to her before he knew it. She pressed her body against his own, meshing her softness with his hardness and he sighed, as he drew in her familiar scent of lilacs mixed with sandalwood and something else along with the immense pleasure of her fingers running through his hair. Her own tousled hair and rosy lips made his heartbeat quicken as his eyes widened, afraid to look away for fear this side of her she had unleashed for him alone might disappear as quickly as it had appeared.

She looked up into his face, just inches away from hers and traced his mouth with her finger tips. Thinking he could be doing much better things with it than talking. Knowing that the two of them had done enough talking…at least through words.

"No words…," she told him, "no regret…just us…here."

He nodded, soundlessly and wrapped his arms around her waist, caressing her hips as he looked at the most beautiful sight he had ever witnessed standing before him, allowing him in to really see her. He didn't know what he wanted to do first now that he finally had the chance, where he wanted to explore with his hands…and his mouth, the possibilities well, they were in front of him. She saw his indecision and smiled, grabbing his hand and rubbing it in between her own hands. Caressing them slowly and surely while looking straight at him and his eyes grew moist. His breath caught in his throat because just thinking about those hands…

"I've been out in the rain," he started to tell her but never finished, because she drew him down and her mouth had covered his own and any words he might have just slipped away as his body took control.

"I know," she said softly, when she released him from her kiss.

"I didn't…bring anything…" he whispered against her.

She smiled at him, tilting her head.

"It's okay," she said, "No worries…I'm on the Pill."

And that's when he really knew that she wanted to make love with him, a thought that threatened to overwhelm what control he had over his own feelings that hadn't been undone by her already.

He kissed her this time and she let him lead, his fingers a bit clumsy as they moved to unbutton her blouse. She almost smiled at the thought that he seemed less than the suave Casanova that she had imagined him to be, almost buying into the mythology about her best friend. But then when he slipped her blouse off of her shoulders onto the floor, she decided to focus on getting his clothes off like a present she had been waiting years to open and enjoying what was underneath.

The floor soon became piled with clothing, not that they paid any attention, until finally he swooped her up and after taking her mouth again, he moved their action to the small bed and soon enough, they forgot about the rain, the mustiness of the stable and the rest of the world, so focused as they were in each other and the pure joy of their bodies joining where their hearts had waited, together at last.


	29. Chapter 29

Another installment, hope you enjoy and thanks for the feedback!

* * *

When she opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was streams of sunlight spilling through the small window into the room, dispersing the darkness. The summer storm had expended its whirlwind of energy and had departed as quickly as it had arrived and while it had left, the two of them had lain together spent on the bed. And even then she had felt his lips press against her shoulder, the one where she had taken a bullet for him on a night not too long ago. Then his mouth had moved to her earlobe and she felt a shiver pass through her.

She had closed her eyes for a moment, content to be surrounded by the warmth of the man lying next to her, his arms wrapped around her, their legs intertwined, their hearts settling together in a peaceful rhythm. Neither of them spoke, reluctant to break the quiet between them, which had followed their passion but then words weren't necessary, so content were they in more tactile forms of communication.

Then the reasoning side of C.J., her tool of choice for self protection began to emerge and Matt felt her change in his embrace.

"You okay," he asked simply.

She nodded silently.

"It stopped raining…"

Matt looked around him and noticed that the staccato of rain on the roof had faded and they had been replaced by the sounds of nature.

"That storm was really something out there," he said, "but nothing like what just happened in here."

C.J. closed her eyes, feeling suddenly at a loss of what to do or say next. In all her experiences that she had shared with him, she had nothing to fall back on to help her navigate through having him in her life as her lover. The intimacy she had just shared with him remained etched in her heart in a way that was new to her, but along with joy had come trepidation. Because for him, it could have meant something much different than it had to her.

"Yeah I noticed," she said, extricating herself from his warm embrace and sitting up on the bed, wrapping the comforter around her.

"You're really something," he said, stroking her hair which fell down to her shoulders.

She looked towards the rodeo trophies that lined the wall.

"So were you."

He sensed her pulling away from him, when they had been so closely intertwined only moments earlier.

"Where are you going," he asked.

"The storm's left and I've got to get back to the ranch to get ready for the meeting," she said, "It starts in a couple of hours."

He arched his brow as she stood up without a stitch of clothing on. Damn if she weren't beautiful right now but suddenly, she seemed determined to put some distance between the two of them. Even if it meant leaving buck naked on her horse to get away. He sighed as he rolled on his side to get a better look at her and she subconsciously pulled the comforter around her from the bed around herself.

"Maybe you'd better get some clothes on first," he said, "Better yet, maybe you'd better leave them off and settle yourself back in here."

She looked at him lying there, wrapped in a sheet but enough of him still showing that she had to keep herself from doing just that, from crawling beneath the covers and wrapping herself up in him again. She knelt down to sort through her clothes. Her unbuttoned blouse that was missing a couple of them. Her worn jeans. Her powder blue bra. Her matching…

She looked around after sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Where are my…"

She felt something soft placed in her hand and she blushed slightly.

"Thanks," she said and started getting dressed while he watched, never taking his eyes off of her.

She turned her back to him after standing up to pull up her jeans over her hips, her head down and she tucked her blouse into her paints.

"C.J., why are you really leaving," he asked her.

She turned around suddenly and looked at him pointedly.

"To get back because I've got work to do," she said, sounding an awful lot like an attorney, "I'm going to need your help on doing some investigating. That's not going to be an issue for you is it?"

She found her boots right next to his own favorite pair and she sat down to put them on her feet.

"No I promised you that I would help out," he said, "but what's the rush? We've got plenty of time for other things."

She closed her eyes imagining doing some of those things, before rubbing her forehead with her fingers.

"I've got a lot of pages to research before tonight," she said, "I've got to be ready to move on this court action. They're depending on me."

He knew how much of herself that she had put into helping her neighbors but he already missed the woman that he had just spent the most incredible time of his life with only moments earlier. What he saw instead was the woman he had spent most of his life with, without really knowing her as well as he had thought. So many emotions swam across her face that he couldn't even keep up with them, let alone figure them out. He just sat and watched her moving about, getting ready to leave him and head back to what she understood back at the ranch house. But since he knew what she was doing, he let it go for now, let her burn off the edge of what was churning inside her and gave her some space.

"At least let me ride back with you," he said, simply reaching for his own clothes. And that's when she had to turn around again because damn, if he didn't have a fine body that until today, she hadn't really even known how well he knew how to use it. Her body still hummed even as she tried to return to earth, the one she recognized before everything had changed.

She just nodded at his suggestion and he dressed but even with the intimacy they had just shared, she couldn't look at him lest her resolve weaken. Because if it did…well then they'd never make it to the damn meeting.

Matt had never been all that shy when it came to displaying his own body but then if anyone took a gander at it, they would understand why because from head to toe and everywhere in between, his build mixed strength with virility in a nice package. Many a time she had come in the office at different times of the day and had seen him soaking in his bubbling Jacuzzi, usually without a stitch of clothing on except maybe for his favorite cowboy hat, even as people milled about him trying to pretend their boss wasn't naked in their midst. And none of them ever peeked, being the consummate professionals, in fact after a while they seemed to not notice his presence unless they needed paperwork signed. Did she ever peek, well was she a woman? Though when _Esquire_ magazine had asked her a question along those same lines while profiling Matt, her official answer had been of course not, that she gave her business partner his privacy and that she didn't mix business with pleasurable sightseeing.

While getting dressed, Matt kept an eye on C.J. watching the kaleidoscope of emotions on her face and through her body language when she thought he wasn't looking. Pulling on his shirt, he felt a slight pinch on his bicep and furrowed his brow, before buttoning his shirt.

"I guess we'd better head back," he said after he had put on his boots and they walked together to get their horses.

* * *

The storm had washed away a lot of the heat and a comfortable breeze hit their faces as they rode back to the ranch house side by side in silence. When they reached the area in front of the barn, they saw Bo and Lamar trying to corral a dappled horse in the corral without much luck. Matt and C.J. rode up and dismounted to see what the two ranch hands were up to with the horse they recognized as Tequila Rose looked at them warily while pawing the ground with her hoof.

C.J. sighed and walked over to the paddock fence.

"What's going on there with Tequila?"

Bo made a face.

"She got a little upset during that storm that just blew through here," he said, "And Lamar had it in his head he was going to move her to the barn."

C.J. studied the filly.

"Storm's gone and she looks just fine to me," she said, "It's that time of year and she'll get used to it."

Bo looked at Lamar and then both of them looked over at C.J. and Matt.

"That was some storm," he said, "Almost like it came from Texas."

Matt chuckled.

"Now I think that's a bit of an exaggeration," he said, "Not that there aren't bigger forces of nature out here."

C.J. just looked at him and he winked at her. A nice looking blush filled her cheeks and she took her horse's reins and walked into the barn to unsaddle her and then head onto the house. Matt never one to take a hint unless he wanted to did the same with Cayenne. He caught up with C.J. who was lifting Chelsea's saddle to put away. She came back and started brushing the mare down after her riding, not looking at him.

"That really was some storm out there," Matt said.

She finally turned her head and lifted her brow.

"But not from Texas, right?"

He caught the tone in her voice, the one that said she didn't want to discuss what had happened with him and her…and them.

"I'm not sorry about what happened C.J.," he said, looking directly at her, "I enjoyed every moment of it and I know that you did too."

She continued to brush Chelsea's mane. She knew that if she bothered to deny it, he would just remind her of her exuberant participation in their lovemaking and have her hot and bothered all over again.

"I never told you that I didn't," she said, "I'm just not sure that at this stage…"

"Stage," he said, "What's that mean?"

She sighed.

"We've been friends for a long time," she said, "and we've never…"

"Frolicked in the stable," he said, scratching his face, "No but I imagined more than a couple of times what it would be like when we did."

She scowled at his choice of words, as if it were a given that they would wind up in bed together at some point when they had so clearly delineated the boundaries of their friendship over the years, cementing them as time went past…well until this afternoon anyway. But honestly, she had wondered what it would be like to feel his skin beneath her finger tips and how her own body would fit within the embrace of his own like any woman in his vicinity would do. And now that she had her answer…she felt so many different feelings rush through her at once, elation intertwined with fear, joy with sadness if they had endangered their long-standing friendship if he decided to move onto to the next woman. Because so far in his life, one woman had never kept Matt happy for very long, and this facet of his personality had been common fodder in many a social column because there were four certainties in life, and they were birth, death, taxes and Matt moving from one available woman to the next.

He took the bridle off of Cayenne and hung it up with the others.

"Look after this meeting, why don't we go have dinner and then we can talk about this…"

She put her hands on her hips.

"The meeting's going to run late," she said, "and Slade's hosting it and plans to have food there."

Slade, Matt thought, the meeting was being held at his house? Not that he worried too much about C.J.'s ex-boyfriend but he wished they could cancel the meeting so C.J. and he could have a private one at his place…after some dinner of course. She clearly read his mind or whatever part of him was doing his thinking for him, he knew that when she arched her brows at him.

"We're not canceling this meeting," she said, "It's too important to the ranchers."

"I don't want you to cancel it C.J.," he said, "But I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't rather we spent our time doing other things…"

Oh yeah, she remembered, since they had skipped the preliminaries and headed straight into the main event at the stable, Matt had mentioned something afterward during their afterglow of taking things a bit slower…next time and in a larger bed than the one they lay in.

If there was going to be a next time, she said, feeling herself weaken again. Matt saw the indecision on her face and the tension in her body but hid his smile from her.

"Okay, I'll promise that when we go have the meeting at…Slade's place…I'll be good," he said, "then…"

She just turned away from him, leading Chelsea to her stall and gave her a final pat, before the mare walked into her stall for the night.

"I've got to go and get ready," was all she said, before she left him.

* * *

Matt had headed to the guest house to kick back and have himself some beer because he really needed it if he was going to be spending a couple hours at the house of C.J.'s ex-boyfriend while keeping his hands to himself. Pulling the tab, he sat down at his computer and decided to check his emails, because he hadn't done that for a while, not wanting to find out that Murray had sent a list of tasks for him to busy himself with while staying at the ranch. After all, he had left L.A. for a while to relax and get away from the grind of business…and to keep an eye on C.J. while Marquis was running around loose. Just in case the terrorist decided to come after them again. And true to his intentions, he had definitely been keeping an eye on his best friend.

He frowned as he found an email from "An Old Friend" and curious, he clicked onto it after the scan showed that it didn't contain a computer virus. The message had been simple.

_I'm pleased that you care so much for her…You will be watched._

The words, they sounded so familiar…where had he heard them before? It was clear that the first sentence was a reference to C.J. but who was…wait a minute, Matt's heart quickened suddenly, as he suddenly remembered. How had Marquis known…no the terrorist if it indeed was him was just engaging in some of his mind games that he had used to ensnare Matt the first time.

He knew then he was that Marquis had just contacted him.

* * *

C.J. had showered and put on some casual dress, before sitting on her bed to brush her hair. She saw that her phone lay on the bed and that reminded her of the email that she had received earlier. Actually the both of them which clearly reminded her of Marquis, the man who had kidnapped her and Matt and held her captive on his island while Matt had been sent on a mission to free his imprisoned thousands of miles away.

Most of her time on the island had been long periods of quiet dread in anticipation and in between shorter moments of terror. At one point, she had led Marquis to believe she would allow him to use her body in exchange for her life and then had used that opportunity to escape. She had felt like a mouse trying to find her way through a maze as she struggled to find a path of escape inside his compound before slipping through a bedroom window. She had ran while being chased by armed guards but had ultimately been captured and dragged back to her room after Marquis had threatened only to postpone her death until Matt had returned. She had sat back in her room, her nicely furnished jail cell really, to think of a plan in case another window of time approached so she could escape.

She pushed the time she had spent in Marquis' captivity out of her head and searched for the paperwork she would need to take to the meeting at Slade's tonight. Her ex-boyfriend who had wanted another shot at a serious relationship with her, when she had approached him for some shorter term action. That had left them at an impasse, both of them walking away from that and then she had hopped into bed with her life-long best friend and walked away, knowing that it hadn't been enough for her to just have a casual fling. Never a dull moment.

After picking up her work product, she walked out of the ranch house to meet Matt who approached her having changed his clothes to go with her. Her brows knit when she noticed that his face appeared a bit flushed.

"Are you feeling okay," she asked.

He nodded.

"I just feel a bit warm," he said, "and I think I pulled a muscle in my arm…must have been having too much fun to notice."

She smiled, shaking her head at him.

"We'd better get going," she said as they both walked to the car.

* * *

Slade opened the door to his stylishly decorated ranch house and led them to the living room where C.J. and Matt wound up sitting on the couch where she and Slade had spent some…time only several days earlier after inspecting his yearlings. She just settled in with her paperwork and flipped through some pages while Matt went to get them something to drink.

"I'll have a wine spritzer thanks," she said, her eyes still focused on some documents.

Slade came and sat on the chair opposite from her.

"I'm glad that you remembered those documents," he said, "That will really help us tonight."

She nodded.

"I wanted to get as much background before I write the letter," she said.

"So how have you been doing," Slade asked, "I've been thinking a lot…"

She held up her hand.

"No I'm not getting back together with you Slade," she said, quietly, "We're just better stick to working together on this, okay?"

He stared at her a moment, clearly disappointed to be stopped again in his tracks but he finally nodded. At that point, Matt arrived back and handed C.J. her drink, before sitting beside her.

"Thanks Houston," she said, taking a sip.

He wrapped his arm around her rubbing her shoulder for just a moment. She turned her head to look at him quizzically. Slade just looked at the both of them and the look they exchanged when Matt released his arm.

"For the drink," she said, "Well since the others have arrived, we'd better get to work…"

Slade had put out quite an impressive spread of food and drink and everyone piled up their plates to turn the meeting into a working dinner. Both C.J. and Slade provided an update on their action plan and the others volunteered to do various tasks. Matt had already recruited Murray back in L.A. to do some background studies on prospective developers looking for open space who might be in partnership with the bank holding the mortgages on the area ranches.

C.J. had been ravenous and had decided to hit the table for seconds. Matt on the other hand had barely finished the meal on his plate and again, she had asked him if he were okay. He just told her he felt a little tired but otherwise, he had never felt better in his life.

"So it looked like you were right about the weather," Slade admitted, returning with his second helping of food.

C.J. looked at Matt who shrugged.

"It's just that the monsoons always come around this time of year," he said, "and here they were, right on schedule."

"Must be cramping your workload on the ranch," Slade said, "With all the renovating you've been doing."

Matt sipped his beer.

"Oh we've been keeping ourselves very busy," he said, "When it's too wet outside to work, you can always find other ways to pass the time…"

C.J. just looked down at her plate.

Slade nodded.

"Do you have any hobbies Matt?"

"A few," Matt said, "I'm a fan of indoor sports myself…"

C.J. nearly bit her tongue.

"He means pool and table tennis," she added quickly.

Matt smiled but it was only for her.

"Don't forget poker," he said, "though there are other stakes to play for besides money."

C.J. almost rolled her eyes at his behavior. Was he delirious, because he still looked a bit flushed, then decided that maybe this was how Matt acted around other women, the ones that he had hit the sheets with. Oh wait a moment that included her now.

Slade just seem to take it all in, what Matt had said as if there were nothing strange about it.

"I'm quite the poker player myself," he said, "Though I haven't made enough money yet to play for other stakes."

Matt fingered his glass.

"Don't ever play against C.J.," he said, "or you're liable to walk away broke."

"Houston…"

Matt's eyes lit up as if he had figured out the obvious…remembering that his favorite brand of poker included other forms of currency.

"Of course, you could walk away without a stitch…"

C.J. studied Matt more critically and saw the sweat beading his face. Yes, it appeared he most definitely didn't look right.

"Are you feeling okay, Houston?"

He blinked his eyes and looked at her.

"I feel fine C.J.," he said, "Of course I felt better this afternoon during that…wasn't that just one of the fiercest storms so far this season?"

Slade did nod at that.

"It was pretty bad outside," he said, "Raining cats and dogs and I don't have a lot of hands so I had to handle the new yearlings by myself. Took all afternoon."

"That's a real shame," Matt started, "Because then if you didn't have to work, you could be making better use of your time."

C.J. reached to touch Matt's forehead and her eyes widened a bit.

"Matt, you're burning up," she said, "You're sick."

"I'm not…," he insisted, "In fact I'm ready to take you home right now…"

She pulled him down as he tried to stand up.

"I'm not taking you home…"

"You're not," he said, sounding disappointed.

"I'm taking you to a doctor or a hospital," she said, "Something's not right here…"

Matt seemed to finally agree.

"I don't feel very well…"

That did it, C.J. thought.

"How long have you been feeling like this?"

Matt tried to think back.

"Just for a little while," he said, "not long after…it probably has nothing to do with it."

"What Houston," she pressed, "You can tell me"

She hoped he wouldn't start talking about what happened between them in the stable but she wanted to find out what had made him sick.

"I was getting…dressed…after…well anyway, I felt something poke my arm," he said, "I didn't think anything of it at the time."

"Which arm Houston?"

He almost didn't tell her but that tone in her voice told him she meant business so he rolled up his sleeve and she saw it, an angry reddish-purple welt the size of a boil. Slade frowned.

"That's a spider bite," he said, "could be a Black Widow, there's millions of them in these parts."

C.J.'s blood chilled. She knew that these common outdoor spiders could be deadly. She didn't think they could kill a grown man like Matt but she decided not to take any chances.

"We're going to get you to a hospital," she said, "Can you walk?"

Matt stood up, a bit shakily but proved he was able to do so.

"Are we going home," he said.

She just shook her head.

"I'll go with you C.J.," Slade offered.

She didn't have the energy to respond and her focus was on Matt first, to get him to the hospital to receive the medical help before it was too late. All she could think as she helped him to her truck was that she had to make it to the hospital in time.


	30. Chapter 30

Oooh another installment of this FF finished. Hope you enjoy it, thanks for reading and your feedback!

* * *

After they had pulled into the parking lot of the nearby medical clinic and handed Matt over to the medical team, she had sat in the lobby and played the waiting game. A game that C.J. had played many times before and always hated. The line of work that she and Matt so loved also meant that at one time or another, he or she would be waiting in some hospital some place for the doctor or in some cases surgeon to return with news about whether or not the other one had survived. So far, after he or she had spent hours sitting or venturing to the chapel to say a prayer or two, the news had always been good but she dreaded the day when their luck would run out and one of them might be left to bury the other.

And here she was again awaiting for that word from a doctor and this time the medical emergency had nothing to do with their line of work but had happened when the two of them had been taking a break from all that and had surrendered to the tranquility of life on the ranch. A ranch that of course had come complete with hazards of its own including rattle snakes, unpredictable weather conditions and of course, the Black Widow spider.

Okay, she knew the spider bite he had suffered probably wouldn't prove fatal but she sat worrying anyway, awaiting any news from the doctor. Slade had gone to the vending machine to bring them back some coffee and she sipped it thoughtfully as he joined her.

"He's going to be just fine," Slade said, not for the first time.

"They're taking an awful long time with him," she said, looking at the clock again.

"They're probably cleaning out the wound and digging up some antivenin," Slade said, "That might take some time but once they give it to him, he'll be just fine."

C.J. looked over at her ex, actually glad that she hadn't been left to sit and worry by herself.

"Thanks for being here Slade," she said.

He looked over at her.

"Look I know we had a history that wasn't always great," he said, "but I do care about you and I know you care about him."

She swallowed at that, feeling the lump in her throat subside.

"He's been my best friend forever," she said simply.

The rest of it, she didn't want to get into here and with him. She felt her cell phone buzz in her pocket and reached to get it, seeing Shelia's name pop up. She smiled at Slade and walked over to take the call, mostly to get her mind off of waiting.

"Hi girlfriend," Shelia said.

"Hi…"

Shelia picked up the tone in her voice immediately.

"What's up," she said, "Where are you?"

C.J. hesitated.

"I'm at a medical clinic near the ranch," she said, "Houston got bit by a Black Widow spider."

"Damn," Shelia exclaimed, "That's going to cramp his style for a while."

"He should be all right once he's received the antivenin," C.J. said, "but the doctor's taking a long time with him."

"C.J., no damn spider is going to get the better of him."

"He was really feeling sick Shelia and started talking some nonsense," she said, "We rushed him right on over here. Fortunately, it's pretty quiet tonight. Of course, if it's really bad, they'll have to transfer him to a trauma center."

Shelia snorted.

"It's just a damn spider bite," she said, "He'll come through this just fine and in an hour or so will be demanding to be sent home."

C.J. bit back a smile, realizing that Shelia had just described Matt to a T.

"I hope you're right," she said, "I just wish they'd give us an update."

Shelia sighed.

"What bad luck to be bitten by a spider," she said, "since usually they keep to themselves in some dark corner somewhere."

"It might have gotten into his clothes," C.J. murmured, "He was bitten in the arm. Maybe when he put them back on."

"In his house," Shelia said, "That's strange."

"In the stable," C.J. said, "When he…oh never mind."

"What was he doing in the stable," Shelia asked, "I thought you had barred him from it until you finished it."

C.J. really didn't want to have this discussion with her friend while she had yet to learn if Matt would survive the spider bite. But leave it to Shelia to have different priorities when it came to analyzing her life.

"Unless…"

"Shelia, I can't talk about this," C.J. said, "Matt's just been bitten by a poisonous spider and we've not heard from the doctor on his condition yet."

Shelia harrumphed.

"Like I said, it will take more than a bitty spider to bring Matt down for long," she said, "You really should have more faith in him."

"I do but…"

"I mean if he was in the stable with his clothes where some spider could get to him, then that would seem pretty odd unless…"

C.J. closed her eyes waiting for what came next and sure enough, suddenly Shelia gasped.

"Were you there with your clothes off," she asked.

C.J. sighed at her friend. Here she was in the waiting room of a clinic, a place she hated to be waiting for news on Matt and Shelia appeared more interested in what Matt had been doing in the stable without his clothes. She blew a tendril of hair back off of her face, the answer to that question should be obvious enough.

"I don't want to answer that," she said, "I want to know if Houston…"

"Is going to be fine," Shelia finished, "Yeah you told me that already and I told you of course he will and you really should stop worrying about it."

C.J. looked up, relieved to see what looked like a doctor heading towards them.

"Look, I got to go," she said, "The doctor's just walked in, hopefully with an update."

"Okay girlfriend," Shelia said, "but I'll be calling you up later for some details…Tell Matt we're thinking about him back here in good old L.A."

"I will…bye…"

C.J shut off her phone and walked over to where the doctor stood next to where Slade sat. She walked up and introduced himself.

"I'm Dr. Collins," the man said, "I treated Mr. Houston for his spider bite."

"How is he," both C.J. and Slade said at once.

The doctor hesitated.

"It was very smart of you to bring him here as quickly as you did," he said, "If you had waited much longer…the prognosis might not have been very good."

"Is he going to be okay," C.J. pressed.

Dr. Collins nodded with a smile.

"Fortunately we had some antivenin to counter the spider bite and he's already improving," he said, "He'll need to take it easy for a couple of days but he should be just fine."

Elation filled C.J. to the point where it weakened her knees.

"Is he going to have to go to a hospital or can I take him home," she asked.

"I prescribed some medication for the pain," the doctor said, "But he's ready for release and there's a pharmacy next door."

Both C.J. and Slade looked at each other and breathed in relief. Dr. Collins scratched his forehead.

"I have to say, he might still be a bit delirious because he said a lot of things that didn't make sense," he said, "but it's nothing serious."

C.J. sighed.

"We'll get him home."

* * *

Matt gingerly dressed back into his clothes, eager to get out of the silly medical gown. His muscles ached from the bite but he felt much better than he had when he had arrived. He stood up, but dizziness threatened to overtake him so he rested against the examination table. A nurse walked in with a bag of medicines for him.

"This will get you started until you can fill your scripts," she said.

He nodded, his mind clearing up a bit. Matt had some awareness that he had been rambling when he had arrived and while the doctor had been examining and treating him. What the topics of choice had been, he didn't remember. But he did remember that the focus of his thoughts had been the woman who no doubt was waiting for him some place after once again saving his life.

The woman who had been his best friend for most his life and now today had become his lover.

Now that thought had a way of bringing clarity to his scattered thoughts, hitting home on the most important things in his life. That afternoon had been the most meaningful time of his life but somehow, when he looked into her face since then, he saw that an emotional wall had come up between them. But Matt hadn't been stopped by obstacles from getting what he really wanted in his life before and he wouldn't be on this most important goal either.

And even if he had known that spending that time with her in the stable would lead to his run in with the spider, he would still have swept her in his arms and carried her to that small bed, the one that had nearly collapsed under their combined weight but that hadn't thwarted them one bit.

Until the storm had blown its way out both outside and within them and C.J. had begun to have second thoughts about changing the boundaries of their friendship.

He sighed, reaching for his boots and slipping them on his feet. He had to come up with some ideas on how to change her mind on that issue and quickly.

* * *

C.J. and Matt headed back to the truck, her arm around his waist because after they had embraced in the lobby, he had said something about feeling a wave of weakness pass right through him and needed her assistance to get to the truck.

"We're going home and you're going straight to bed," she ordered.

He waggled his brows at her as they sat together in the parking lot.

"All by myself," he asked, "I have an idea…"

She rolled her eyes at him.

"Houston, yes by yourself," she said, "And you're not going to step one foot out of the guest bedroom…"

Now he looked confused.

"You mean guest house don't you?"

She started the car and pulled out of the lot.

"I really think you should move to the main house until you heal up," she said, "So I can keep a better eye on you."

He smiled broadly.

"That sounds great to me," he said, "but it's going to be awfully lonely in that big house by myself…"

She sighed, shaking her head.

"Houston, I've got a ranch to run," she said, "and the doctor said you need your rest for at least a day or two."

Matt felt tired and okay, a bit weaker maybe but full blown rest, wasn't what he needed. What he needed was more time with the woman sitting next to him and if he was confined to bed rest, then there was no reason why he had to be subjected to solitary confinement.

"C.J., you've got plenty of hands to help you do that," he reasoned, "and you've been working so hard the past few days, you could use a little rest and relaxation."

She nearly burst out laughing.

"Houston, if I get within reach of you, that's not going to happen and we both know it."

He looked hurt.

"What's the matter with that," he said, "I had a great time this afternoon. I know that you did too, or at least you sounded like it."

She blushed and looked out the side window.

"That's dirty pool Houston," she said, "I already told you why this won't work between us."

He sighed.

"I know that," he said, "I just don't agree with that and I'm going to do whatever is necessary to change your mind."

"Even if it's completely underhanded on your part?"

He grinned innocently at her.

"I've never underhanded. I've got two good ones and I know how to use them."

Oh boy, did he ever, she sighed inwardly but kept her expression neutral as he prattled on with the virtues of continuing what they had started in that stable.

"The way I see it," he said, "I'm stranded in that bed on doctor's orders and I would just like a little company, therapy if you'll call it to help me recuperate faster."

She kept listening as she turned onto the ranch drive.

"The faster I recuperate, the quicker I can help you with the ranch," he said, "It's a win-win for you."

He placed his hand on her accelerator leg and when she gasped, the car lurched on down the dirt road.

"Houston, what are you doing?"

"Ooooh nothing," he said, looking out the window.

She bit back a response and parked the car in front of the barn. After she got out, she went over to his side to help him out and of course, he stumbled and she had to catch him before he sent them sprawling in the dirt.

Bo and Lamar walked up to him, looking at him quizzically.

"Has he been drinking," Bo asked.

C.J. shook her head.

"Spider bit him and he had to go to the doctor before he made a fool out of himself," she said.

Matt stared at her.

"I could have died," he said, "She's taking me to bed now."

The two men just stared at them, silent.

"Houston…."

Matt winked at her.

"We'd better get going," he said, "Now you know before I get settled, I'm going to need a nice shower and maybe a massage…"

"In your dreams cowboy," she said, as she helped him into the main house.

Bo and Lamar just looked at each other.

"Must have been one hell of a spider," Lamar said, as they headed to the barn.

* * *

Matt settled down in the guest room after taking a long hot shower, which had been recommended by the doctor to soothe the muscle aches which had gripped his body thanks to the spider venom. As he soaked beneath the water, he thought of C.J. and how he was going to dismantle those defenses that had reemerged after she had come down from their afternoon interlude. She had headed to the kitchen to cook them a light meal before he would do as the doctor ordered, and get some sleep. Matt had been given plenty of pain medication but had refused to take it, arguing that a big tough man like him could withstand itty bitty pain. She had just snorted at that, and told him that if he wanted to suffer due to some misguided machismo then he could go right ahead and no, she wouldn't substitute her body's embrace for pain medication. After the shower, Matt had changed into his sweats and tee-shirt and had lain on the bed, realizing he hadn't told her the real reason why he had nixed the pain killers. Because from experience, he knew they would dull his senses and come close to knocking him out and he needed his senses honed to a razor's edge to be able to protect her in case Marquis or any of his men came calling.

His mind returned to that email that he had received and he knew that in all likelihood it had been written by Marquis but whether or not the man intended it to be a message to Matt that he was coming for revenge wasn't certain. It could be a case of him promoting fear in him by playing head games and by making it clear that he might be up to manipulating his feelings for C.J. to get the upper hand on him again. Guilt stoked further inside him when he realized he still hadn't told C.J. the truth that Marquis had escaped and was running around loose somewhere planning who knew what. And if she found out now, she'd be furious at him for keeping it secret from her and he couldn't blame her one bit. He had already called for more security but hadn't heard back from his company yet to see if it had arrived.

* * *

C.J. piled some of that leftover chili in some bowls for her and Matt to eat and poured some iced tea to take to the guest bedroom. She planned to eat with him and then to unwind from the day's stress in the hot tub where no doubt Shelia would deliver on her promise and call her, demanding that she spill the details on her and Matt.

She hedged on that, not wanting to talk about what the two of them had shared when her mind, both its logical attorney side and its emotional counterpart were still warring inside of her. She could easily decide to pick up where they had left off earlier but then what? Matt had spent most of his grown life being a player in various social circles, and had relationships with many women, mostly short-term. She'd be damned if she would wind up the latest on his string of dalliances and then have to find some way to move on, while envying his ability to do just that.

And her own serious relationships in recent years hadn't ended well. Carl, her college sweetheart had been killed by her stalker after returning into her life and Robert, well she didn't really want to revisit that disastrous chapter of her life. More recently, Slade and Randy, those relationships had shown her that she still had a lot to learn about making relationships work. She breathed deeply to dispel the memories of them from her mind and picked up the food and drink on a tray to take to the guest room.

The chili had done its magic on Matt, filling his stomach without bringing back the nausea and he actually cleaned his plate while chattering about his belief that she had done a great job renovating the stable. Pink had filled her cheeks again just at the mention of that dwelling.

"I still think you needed to make an occasion of it," he said, "To show the others the final product of all that hard work you put into it."

She studied his face but he appeared serious.

"Well maybe…a christening of sorts…with some food and drink…"

He coughed.

"I think we've already done the christening part just fine…"

She sighed.

"Houston, what happened…"

He put his plate down.

"I won't bring it up again," he said, "Not today anyway…It's been a long one anyway and maybe it's time for me to turn in."

Her brows rose.

"Really…you're not going to give me a hard time?"

He grinned slowly.

"I'd like to give you a good time but…I respect you an awful lot and what you said."

She looked at her glass.

"It's nothing personal," she said, "This just happened so fast and I need some time to figure out what's next, that's all."

He nodded.

"Okay, you think about that," he said, "and I'll work on getting better."

She picked up the cleaned plates to take them back to the kitchen.

"You get yourself some sleep, okay?"

He looked at her a long moment, standing in front of him, worry knitting her brow and he nodded. She turned to walk out the room and Matt lay back on the bed, thinking about how he was going to navigate them both through this quagmire before the day, both its very good and not so good parts caught up with him.

She came back to check on him before heading outside to her nightly soak in the spa and found him asleep. She sighed at the sight of him wrapped up partly in his sheets and then she walked out.


	31. Chapter 31

New installment up, blame it on the spring fever's impact on creativity. Hope you enjoy it and thanks for reading and your feedback!

* * *

Matt woke with a start and focused his eyes through the darkness of the bedroom. It took a moment of confusion before he remembered that he had been sleeping in the guest room of what used to be his main residence. He had drifted off to sleep and dreamt of a certain brunette woman with a broad smile and a way with words even in his sleep.

He flipped on the light switch and noticed that it was still quite early in the evening so he decided to test his muscles which still ached from his run in with the spider. But he stood up easily enough though he wobbled a bit. Searching for his cell phone, he finally found it next to his boots which he put on his feet. He knew C.J. wouldn't be happy if she knew he had gotten out of bed and started walking around but he had to check on his security team that was out surveying the ranch, to make sure that Marquis didn't get the jump on him.

The phone had lit up showing that there were messages, including one from Zeke, one of his detail. He punched in the number and after a few rings, got him on the phone.

"What's up Zeke?"

The security man sounded a bit tired.

"Not much Houston," he said, "It's been pretty quiet out here the past few nights except for a coyote howling now and then."

"That's one reason why I came back out here," Matt said, "There's more peace and quiet out here at night than back in the city."

"You're kidding right," Zeke said, "I thought guys like you lived for the party circuit, the next good time."

"I've been to a lot of great parties but nothing beats kicking back at the end of the day on my porch with a cold one," Matt said.

"Whatever you say boss," Zeke said, "but there's been no sign of Marquis or anyone associated with him."

"He's out there somewhere," Matt said, "and he's been sending me emails. I forwarded them to the main office for investigation with the IT guy."

"They might be difficult to trace if he's using anonymous carriers," Zeke warned, "but we'll give it our best shot."

"Roy and Will are doing okay where they are," Matt said, "and C.J. and I seem to be pretty fortified here but Marquis going to make his move and we still don't know from where."

"We'll get on it," Zeke said, "and I'll hold a strategic meeting at 0-800."

Matt clicked off his phone and got up to do a perimeter check close to the ranch house. Even with the security team covering all the ways in and out of the ranch, he still felt better if he checked it out himself before heading back to bed.

He just had to be careful when he slipped out of the house and took a walk around that he didn't run into C.J.

* * *

She of course sat in the hot tub soaking in the soothing water after a rather eventful day, much more than what she could have anticipated when she had woken up this morning. Matt had drifted off to sleep and hopefully would feel much better in the morning and she would check on him before she went to bed herself. Tomorrow, she knew she would have her hands filled trying to get him to abide by the doctor's orders to rest up for a day or two rather than returning to working on the ranch. But until then, she could relax, knowing that he wasn't getting himself into any trouble but was safe inside the house. Reaching for her wine, she thought back to the day that had been one of the most special but also one of the scariest, and it had changed from one to the other so quickly. She would need some double time in the spa tonight.

Predictably her phone rang and she reached to pick it up, after sipping her wine.

"Shelia, how come you're home anyway," she asked, before her friend could get the jump on her with all her questions about Matt.

She heard a sigh on the other end.

"The act that I was going to check out at the Crooning Canary canceled out with laryngitis," she said, "So I got some DVDs and some popcorn and am having a romantic film festival like we used to do."

"That sounds like fun," C.J. said, "But why are you on the phone talking to me instead of watching your movies?"

"Haven't you heard of intermission," her friend said, "and besides that gives me the chance to ask you for an update on Matt's old spider bite."

C.J. brightened.

"He's going to recover just fine," she said, "though he's on bed rest for a couple of days."

"Poor guy," Shelia said, "so tell me how that spider managed to find his way in his clothes to bite him in the first place?"

"Oh that…"

Damn she had hoped that Shelia would have forgotten about it but she should have known better.

"Yes that," Shelia pressed, "When you and he were in the stable together…and his clothes were someplace else besides on his body."

C.J. paused.

"And your clothes were where?"

C.J. felt at that point like submerging herself beneath the bubbling water but knew Shelia awaited an answer.

"Okay, we were in the stable…together," C.J. said, "in the middle of a storm and…"

"One thing led to another," Shelia interrupted, "and you wound up doing the horizontal mambo."

C.J. sighed, that was one way of putting it. Her silence proved to be confirmation enough for her friend.

"I knew it," Shelia exclaimed, "I always had that feeling about the two of you. So are you two officially in a relationship and going to hold a press conference and make an announcement?"

"About what," C.J. said, "We're not in any type of relationship besides the one we've always been."

"Oh so you have slept together before then…"

"Of course not," C.J. said, "But it doesn't necessarily change anything. He's been with a lot of women after all and most of them were just casual flings. He loves them and leaves them."

Shelia sighed.

"I think he views you as much more than that," she said, "In fact, he might want to make sure that you become much more than friends."

"No we're not," C.J. said, "I'm not sure what we are right now. I mean we are still best friends. That hasn't changed but the rest of it… he wants more than that."

"Of course he does," Shelia reasoned, "He knows a great thing when he sees it. Unlike some people who really should just stop talking, throw caution in the wind and go for it."

"Excuse me…"

"What's the matter with you," Shelia said, "He's a great guy who really seems to be in to you and the two of you finally came to your senses. Well one of you has anyway and it doesn't seem to be you."

C.J. listened to her friend who had teased her enough in the past about getting together with her best friend. She had usually just laughed it off and said that Matt had enough women in his social calendar to keep him busy for quite a while. And sure enough, her defenses rose again.

"That's not fair," she said, "It's just not like that between us. We've been friends most of our whole life and that's worked really well for us."

"There's nothing written anywhere that you still can't be his friend and his lover C.J.," Shelia pointed out, "In fact, you might turn out to be better friends."

"I don't know…"

Shelia snorted.

"For a Harvard graduate, you sure can be dense about some very important things," Shelia noted, "And that includes about your own best friend and his feelings about you."

"How would you know about his feelings," C.J. asked.

"They're called eyes."

"What are you talking about," she said, "I've known him for years and he's never been like this towards me. He just seemed to see me that way when he got here."

"Well then something's clearly changed," Shelia said.

* * *

Matt crept around the brush around the pool yard, trying not to make any noise that would betray his presence. He had left the house, quietly closing the door behind him and had already searched the corral area and inside the barn. He proceeded cautiously not wanting to wake up any of the slumbering animals including Beulah who had curled up inside her pin, snoring.

He heard C.J.'s voice and assumed that she was chatting on the phone with her close friend, Shelia. The area around him remained peaceful as night had settled over the ranch for the night and he really should head back into the house and his temporary bed before C.J. noticed that he had taken off and came looking for him. But he paused for a moment, wondering whether or not Marquis had truly sent those emails or had a confederate do it. He knew that his experts' efforts to trace the missives wouldn't bear much in the way of providing much information from where the emails originated let alone where Marquis was currently hiding out.

* * *

"Changed, I don't know what you mean about that Shelia," C.J. said, "He just wants a relationship that I'm not sure I'm ready for and I don't want to mess things up with him."

Shelia sighed again.

"There you go, thinking that you and Matt could never work it out between the two of you so that you could have a passionate relationship. Life's filled with risks, C.J., and I would think you would value him enough to realize he's worth it. He's certainly fine looking enough."

C.J. really couldn't argue with that.

"It's not that," C.J. said, "He's the closest thing to family I've got and I don't want to lose that with him. In case it doesn't end well."

"That's not going to happen," Shelia said, "He cares about you too much and you care about him. You'll work it out."

C.J. paused.

"He's the only person who could really hurt me," she said.

Matt listened to that part of the conversation and he felt taken aback. Did she really think that he would ever do or say anything to hurt her? He stepped backward right onto a branch.

C.J. looked up, hearing noises in the bushes again.

"I think I just heard something," she said, "Probably a rabbit or a skunk."

"You are out in the wilderness, there are animals there," Shelia said, "Matt would never hurt you. You know that."

"Not knowingly," C.J. said, "but a part of me was really scared when he got bitten by that spider. Especially right after…"

"You're not going to lose him."

C.J. rubbed her forehead.

"I'm not sure I want to risk that," she said.

* * *

Matt felt his phone vibrate and looked at it.

Hoyt.

He stepped away from the wall, and out of the brush.

"Hello, it's Houston."

"Just calling up and checking on you," Hoyt said, "Things still quiet out there on the ranch?"

"Quiet as could be Hoyt."

"How's C.J. doing?"

Matt paused.

"She's doing very well," he said, "Been busy fixing the place up."

"Keeping busy to get her mind off of it?"

Matt sighed.

"I still haven't told her about Marquis escaping from prison."

A long silence met him.

"Houston, she's going to find out about it one way or another," Hoyt said, "She's a very sharp woman. You know that."

"Yeah I do Hoyt," Matt agreed, "But I didn't want to worry her when she's been so happy back on the ranch. It's been really good for her to spend time here…good for me too."

"You're still going to have to tell her Houston," Hoyt said, "You owe her that or do you plan on waiting until he shows up there trying to hurt her to get back at you?"

Matt signed inwardly, figuring there was as good chance as not that this was exactly what Marquis had planned for them, to exact his revenge in some way through her.

"I'll think about it Hoyt," he said, "but there's been no sign of him so far, maybe we'll get lucky."

"But you don't really believe that do you," Hoyt said, "and maybe you shouldn't, if he's sending you those emails. What about C.J. has she received any strange communications?"

Matt stroked the area between his eyes.

"I don't know," he said, "I didn't think to check with her."

"Maybe you should," Hoyt said, "right before you tell her the truth about what's happened before that man shows up on your doorstep."

Matt clicked off his phone, knowing he was right and maybe it was finally time to share this information with her. He hoped she wouldn't be too upset with him but maybe…the afternoon they spent together would temper any anger. At any rate…he moved closer.

* * *

"I just don't want either of us to get hurt Shelia," C.J. said into her phone, "What we have is so special."

"What about what you shared this afternoon," Shelia pressed.

C.J. ran her hand through her hair, and Matt's heart quickened.

"That…was even more special…but if I go with that and find out it's just one big diversion, a game to him, I…"

The bushes creaked again and she looked out towards them. Matt knew the wall shielded him and sure enough she returned to her phone call.

"And there's something else…Something's come up that I have to tell him…"

Matt's brows rose, wondering what she was talking about, tell him what? He decided he had better head back to the house before C.J. came over investigating the noise in the bushes and he would find out whether or not she wore anything while soaking in the tub.

"Look I got to go Shelia," she said, "I got to go check on my patient."

Laughter reached him.

"And no I won't be giving him any TLC tonight so just drop it…Bye now."

C.J. clicked off her phone and sat there for a moment as if indecisive. Matt took that opportunity to creep out of the bushes carefully and head back to the house. He went to the bedroom, disrobed and crawled beneath the covers.

* * *

A few moments later, he heard a gentle foot fall in the hallway and he knew she had entered the room. He kept his eyes closed feigning sleep, wondering if she would turn around and head towards her own bedroom or stay with him a while. He heard the chair creak nearby and realized she had opted for the latter.

"You know Shelia thinks I'm nuts for taking a step back Houston," she said watching him sleep, "But you're the most important person in my life and I don't want to start something with you and then realize one day that one woman's not enough for you, that what we have is not enough."

Matt frowned beneath the covers, trying to fight the urge to reach out for her and prove to her how wrong she was about him but something stopped him. His track record with women during his formative years stood in his face. And except for a serious relationship here, a broken engagement there, most of the women who crossed his path and into his bed had left it nearly as quickly.

"And this is really hard because you're very sexy and…"

His ears perked up at that.

"Keeping you at arm's length is going to be very hard, the hardest thing I've ever done…"

She sighed at that, thinking that no, confessing the reasons why she had put him off to him just wasn't the same thing if he weren't awake to hear her words and given a chance to respond to them. Shelia was right about her, she was too afraid to do just that. And C.J. knew she was no coward, after all she had reacted quickly enough in tough spots to save her own life and that of the man lying nearby but when it came to him…her heart…maybe she really had no guts. But…she thought to herself, unable to finish that thought just knowing that it was getting late and she had a long day tomorrow and she really should be heading to her own bed.

He listened to her footsteps as she left him alone.

* * *

The man stood in front of her and he gave her a choice.

First he had the guards bring her into his house from where they had been taking her, having rousted her from her room and roughly dragging her outside into the sunlight. She had struggled with the two of them, knowing what they had planned to do to her, which was to fire a bullet into her head while Matt had been sent to retrieve Marquis' imprisoned son. But suddenly, Marquis appeared and ordered the guards to bring her to him. She tried to relax at the reprieve but the fear didn't leave her.

An attractive brunette wearing a summer dress looked at her scornfully as they brushed in the doorway to Marquis' lounge where he spent much of his time. Once inside, she stood there, her body tense and ready to spring into action. He approached her slowly, sizing her up like a man does a woman he finds attractive. C.J. tried to swallow her revulsion and plant a smile on her face.

"We're thousands of miles from nowhere here," he pointed out, "So few diversions. I'm sure you understand that. You look like a woman of obvious intellect."

He stroked her hair, feeling its softness.

"Taste. Class."

She flinched and pulled away from him. And she knew then she had made him angry.

"What is this? I see, not good looking enough for you," he said, grabbing her, his breath on her face.

She tried to remain still, her feet planted on the floor and her hands clenched in fists at her sides.

"Do I offend your tender sensibilities," he said softening his voice just enough, "Would you like to hear some gentle words?"

She just looked at him, saying nothing.

"Here are some gentle words…I just ordered to have you killed…but I thought I might change my mind."

He moved closer to her and she swallowed, feeling fear welling inside of her as his grip on her tightened.

"You have one minute to change my mind."

She froze for a moment and then tried to soften her face, even smile at him.

"All right…"

He pulled her closer and she screamed.

* * *

She woke up in her bed, breathing rapidly and staring out at the darkness. The room where he had asked her to make that choice receded back in her memory and she saw the familiar surroundings that had been the last thing she saw before closing her eyes. Her body began to relax when she looked up and saw him in the doorway. His hair looked tousled and he wore only sweat pants as he approached her bed, concern on his face.

"C.J. what's the matter," he said, "I heard you screaming."

Now she felt embarrassment flood her where fear had resided moments earlier.

"I'm fine Houston," she said, "I just had…a bad dream."

"I can see that," he said, "What was it about?"

She looked away towards the window where it still looked dark outside and she thought about telling him, especially when he walked over and sat on the edge of her bed. She shook her head instead.

"It's …nothing," she said, "I don't even remember most of it."

He looked doubtful.

"You know if something's bothering you…you can tell me."

She nodded.

"I know that," she said, "But it's really late and I'm tired and you're recovering from that spider bite and you really need your rest."

He didn't budge from where he sat and damn, if he didn't look fine sitting there, shirtless with some dark hair sprinkled on his tanned chest. The same chest that she had just been stroking and doing other things to some hours ago. She cleared her throat.

"Listen, I'm going to go back to sleep," she said, "I've got a ton of work to do tomorrow and that idea about having the party in the stable isn't a bad one."

"I liked our private party a lot better."

She understand that very well and didn't say anything.

He frowned.

"Your bad dream has nothing to do with…us does it?"

His eyes told her that her answer meant a lot to him.

"Don't worry Houston," she said, "One has nothing to do with the other…now you'd better get back to bed and get some sleep."

Before she weakened, she thought ruefully knowing at this point, between the nightmare and its much more pleasant alternative sitting in front of her, she would never get to sleep.

Matt got up reluctantly, looking at her as she settled back into trying to sleep before leaving her, his mind wondering what she clearly wasn't telling him.


	32. Chapter 32

Another installment of this story. Hope you like it, thanks for reading and for the feedback!

The morning had woken C.J. enough to remind her she really had to get up and give the younger ranch hands their assignments for the new day. She had thought about checking up on Matt in the guest bedroom but decided that after having narrowly dodged a bullet with the spider bite that he probably needed all the sleep that he could get. Besides if she walked inside and he tried to put some moves on her, then she might weaken and then he wouldn't get any rest at all.

She shook off that thought and went to the kitchen where she ran into Bo and Lamar who had already cooked a generous spread including omelets, thick slabs of bacon and toast. When the odor of their cooking first hit her, her stomach grumbled. After her soak in the Jacuzzi, she had headed straight to bed where she slept…except she had some vague recollection of Matt rushing into her bedroom during the night. She had no memory of waking up, just in opening her eyes and seeing him standing there shirtless and dressed only in faded grey sweats probably from his football days at Rice University.

She had thought about telling him something as he stood there, concern etched on his face but now she couldn't remember what it was. Hadn't he asked her something? Before he had turned around and had left the bedroom.

"How's Houston doing," Lamar asked, scooping an omelet on her plate.

She dug into the food, finding it delicious.

"He's still sleeping," she said, "But he felt better last night. He just needs to take it easy for a couple of days."

Lamar shook his head.

"I remember when I got bitten by one of those spiders," he said, "I thought I'd lose my leg but Houston, well he's still a young buck."

C.J. tilted her head.

"He's not to be doing anything too strenuous today," she said, "No matter what he tells you."

Lamar and Bo looked at each other.

"I don't know," Bo said, "Once he gets something into his head, he can be stubborn."

C.J. sipped her orange juice.

"You just tell me if he gives you any problems," she said, "and I'll deal with him because when it comes to being stubborn…"

Lamar and Bo knew that any confrontation between the two of them would likely be too tough to call but given that Matt got bit by the spider, she might have an edge today. Which might impact the betting line if either would spot the other a wager. Bo felt temptation strike him but Lamar seemed noncommittal.

"We'll leave him up to you then," Lamar said.

C.J. nodded and after finishing her breakfast headed out to the barn thinking of how gorgeous it looked this morning. And how thankful she felt living on her ranch and having left the daily grind of life back in the city behind her at least for a spell.

Matt woke up and reached for his cell phone to check it for messages. He had slept longer than he had planned to but he had been exhausted when he had turned in and then he had woken up, the first thing on his mind being what had been the last to fade away before sleep took him. That gorgeous brunette that he had thought he had known all his life until their impromptu interlude in the stable left him realizing he didn't really know her at all. A heady combination of passion with tenderness and humor that left him both fulfilled and wanting at the same time.

Oh he had known she could be a spitfire having seen her in action many times. Arguing cases in front of a judge or with him over how they should be handled. Her mahogany hair resting on her shoulders, her fiery hazel eyes and her ability to think on her feet in just about every circumstance. And that body, shaped by daily runs, horseback riding and now days spent working on rebuilding the ranch, damn she sure how to use it. Her hands, soft and purposeful on his skin…

His cell phone buzzed in vibration mode from his dresser. He picked it up half-heartedly not content to park his thoughts even for a brief time.

"Hello Hoyt."

"Houston, you're up early this morning," Hoyt noted, "I heard on the grapevine that a spider almost took you out."

Matt sighed. The stories about him just became more exaggerated as they traveled through the gossip mill.

"It's nothing," he said, "I'm feeling much better and I'll be more than able to handle anything coming my way just in case you're asking."

Hoyt paused.

"Houston, you know how ruthless Marquis is better than I do," Hoyt said, "You're going to have to be ready for anything."

"Oh I will be Hoyt," Matt said, "If he thinks he's going to hurt anyone close to me he's got another thing coming."

"He went after her last time."

Determination filled Matt at that reminder of what had happened the last times he had crossed paths with the terrorist.

"He won't have another chance," he said, "I'm keeping awfully close to C.J…"

Including in ways he hadn't anticipated when he had first decided that she needed his protection after news of Marquis prison breakout. But he really didn't see any reason for explaining part to Hoyt especially when he still had to figure out how to convince C.J. that he didn't see her as one of his casual flings.

"How's she doing," Hoyt said, "Still working on the ranch?"

"Yes she's real busy with the renovations," Matt said, "She just finishing the stable."

"How does it look?"

Matt hesitated, not really remembering.

"Nice…I guess."

"Nice to hear you sound so sure about that," Hoyt said, "I'll have to come and check it out…after Marquis is back in prison where he belongs."

"Sure thing Hoyt," Matt said, "You can bring the wife and your daughter and we'll have a big barbecue."

Hoyt chuckled.

"I heard about your infamous Texas barbecues," he said, "Still it would be great to get the family out of the city for a bit."

Matt thought it would be just perfect if after the ranches' renovations were finished, they held a celebratory barbecue and shin-ding. Of course, he'd have to run it past C.J. since she actually owned the ranch now but he knew how much she enjoyed spending time with her close friends. And her chili party had been enjoyed by those who attended it. But first, they had to put this mess with Marquis behind them and then he and C.J. had to rethink her position that anything more than friendship between them was akin to disaster.

Hoyt said goodbye and hung up, with no further news on the exploits of Marquis who despite the dragnet out hunting him down, still lay low. That made Matt more than a little bit apprehensive because he knew that Marquis was a man whose ruthlessness was only challenged by his patience. Oh he knew that the man would strike but it would be on his own time table and it wasn't a question of if, but when and where.

And at who.

C.J. walked into the barn to get Chelsea ready for riding out to finish up the last improvements on the stable. Lulu looked up from where she had been patting Cowboy one of Matt's favorite horses who had been retired from ranch work for a while now. They still turned him out every day to graze and generally keep an eye on what everyone else was doing.

"Are you helping Lamar with the fencing on the north side," C.J. asked.

Lulu nodded.

"Dylan's on his way over," she said, "Then we'll get going."

C.J. nodded.

"He's got a girlfriend by the way," Lulu said, "Her names Lila and she's visiting for the summer."

"That will keep him busy," C.J. mused then studied the younger girl carefully.

"How do you feel about that," she asked.

Lulu said nothing but her brow furrowed and C.J. could see that she didn't like it much at all and that she had probably hoped that Dylan and she could get together. C.J. remembered when she had hoped for the same things with one local boy or another while growing up until she met up with Zach who hadn't really had any feelings for her at all except getting her in the sack mostly to pass the time until he was ready to move on. Back then, she had been too young and too infatuated with the residential bad boy with the Harley to know better and hoped that Lulu had better sense.

"I wish he liked me like he did her but she's got him all wrapped up," Lulu said, with a sigh, "He doesn't even notice me anymore."

Oh C.J. knew that feeling too, both when she had been younger and to her chagrin, as an adult as well. After all, she had felt that way when around her best friend enough times. Every time, she had hinted to him that she might want to go to lunch or dinner with him and he had been too busy, foisting her off on Murray while he went to hunt down some bad guy. When he took her to a charity event or party, him in a tuxedo and her in a beautiful gown and then left her alone while he interviewed suspects or charmed other women. Even during the party they had attended in the penthouse suite, she had just gotten off the helicopter a couple of minutes earlier and he had already been wrapped up in a passionate embrace with some blond chick dripping wealth named Clover. She had warned him in his gym at another time about some ex-flame of his whose father had blown himself up and then moments later, yes, they had been lip locked before he had even agreed to try to clear her of suspicions that she murdered the father that she hated. Again and again, situations like this had arisen enough for her to know that even if she harbored feelings towards him beyond friendship, he didn't return them and if he had even been aware of them, didn't let on.

Then again, she had never been someone's "Squeaky" to their "Rooster" and that whole episode had puzzled her because after all, she knew him most of her life and yet somehow had missed this hot and heavy thing he had going with an internationally renowned model.

"I bet you never had to worry about this," Lulu said, "I bet every guy you liked was hot for you."

C.J. broke her reverie which basically had been a litany of times that Matt had been clueless about her own feelings towards him and smiled at the younger girl.

"Oh you'd be surprised," she said, "I've been exactly where you are now, where I really liked someone and they didn't know it. But life goes on and there's plenty of time to find someone who feels the same way about you."

Lulu looked skeptical.

"I'm already getting older," she said, "And that hasn't happened."

C.J. smiled at the girl's impatience which had matched her own at that age.

"You've got plenty of time."

C.J. thought about her own situation, where she had these pesky feelings for a man who mostly viewed women as a good time, spending a brief if intensive interlude with them before moving on to the next. Matt was a very attractive and sexy man, in the height of his prime and thus attracted many women to him. Something she knew he had enjoyed very much, being a man who enjoyed spending time with the opposite sex. And women enjoyed spending time with him, she knew from seeing the smiles on their faces when she walked into the penthouse suite and saw them leaving.

"If you say so," Lulu said finally, leaving the barn to go join Lamar in preparing for the day's work.

C.J. saddled up Chelsea thinking about the teenager's words before riding off to the stable.

Matt knew that C.J. and the doctor had ordered him to stay in bed and he had been perfectly happy to do just that if he didn't have to, by himself. But C.J. had not responded very well to his invitation to keep him company and he'd be damned if he would wile away the hours of such a beautiful day inside the house. So naturally, once the coast cleared, he got out of bed to take a shower and get dressed. He had decided to venture into town to do some grocery shopping and once Bo had been unable to talk about it, he had given him a shopping list. So with that on the agenda, he prepared to head to the car. Before leaving the house, he looked around to make sure that he didn't see C.J. and that more importantly, she didn't catch sight of him sneaking out. But the corral area by the barn appeared deserted and he headed towards his truck to make his getaway.

The paint had dried just fine overnight and C.J. looked at it pleased. She knew that with the final touches, the stable would look as good as she remembered it. She, Matt and others had spent a lot of time there including when Matt got the notion to climb on the back of some retired rodeo bronco that he had just saved from the glue factory and try to ride it. Usually he lasted about 10 seconds while the horse twisted and turned, bucking him off usually into a muddy patch of the small corral. She would rush over and make sure he had been alright, telling him to just smile and shrug it off and he would grab some sore body part and retort that the laugh of a loser was a sure sign of insanity or some nonsense like that.

But Matt had always been good with horses, with the right combination of authority and gentleness, confidence and patience and most of the horses that bucked him off the first dozen or so times wound up being well mannered enough by the time he finished training them to be sold off as perfectly behaved trail horses. She knew now that the tone of his voice, coaxing rather than demanding, and the touch of his hands, always gentle if firm was the secret to his success and not just with horses. Her body still hummed from the time they had spent together in the small bed that C.J. tried to keep from looking at. In fact, she hadn't gone in the tack room but finished up the work in the stalls.

Truth be told, that hadn't even been the first time they had kissed in that cramped room filled with family history in the photos and trophies that lined the wall not to mention memories. After he had cleaned them all of their money which they were foolish enough to bet against him while gentling another bronco, she had followed him in the tack room where he returned the saddle and bridle after removing it from another gentled horse. The mood between them had turned charged, after the latest fleecing and she had joked about something and he had reached over to flick a twig from her hair. And after he had touched her, somehow they had wound up with his lips making contact with her own and their arms wrapped around each other. She couldn't even remember now how it had happened but they were so focused on each other that they didn't notice footsteps in the hallway and then the board closest to the door squeak as it often did back then.

They had enough time to pull apart and pull themselves together before either Bo or Lamar had figured out exactly what they had just missed.

C.J. pushed that memory out of her mind not sure why it had resurfaced but thinking that maybe yesterday's interlude played a role. But she had to just get it out of her mind and focus on the here and now.

Because she realized that what she wanted from Matt, she wasn't sure that he could give her in return.

Matt walked through the little market, trying to sort through the selection which didn't appear nearly as generous as the chain supermarkets back home but still left plenty of food for the people ranching the valley to eat. He had it in his mind that if a way to a man's heart was through his stomach then that might work for women too. But after milling down the two aisles of the market, he wondered if he should order out for pizzas instead. He didn't remember if they delivered to the ranch unless they were given a hefty tip as incentive.

He saw some nice selections in the wine section and grabbed a bottle that he knew C.J. favored and put it in his basket along with some steaks for the barbecue and some potatoes for roasting, mixed with spices including basil and rosemary which grew out in the garden. An older woman came up to him and asked him if he needed anything and he shook his head.

"I'm just getting some fixings for a dinner tonight."

The woman checked out his basket and he heard a click of reproach.

"Found yourself in the doghouse," she noted, "Not a bad menu to get yourself out again."

Matt just looked at her.

"I'm not in any trouble," he said, "I just plan to do some time in the kitchen for the woman I care about."

She looked at him, and he felt like an insect under a magnifying glass.

"What are you doing wandering around anyway," she said, "I heard a spider got you."

He narrowed his eyes, after putting some bread in his basket.

"Boy, word gets around fast in these parts."

She folded her arms.

"Well the good doctor shops here too and he mentioned something about a patient with a spider bite," she said, "That must be you and here you are gallivanting around as if nothing happened."

"Well, I…"

"And does this woman…friend of yours know you're out and about," the woman said, "Or did you sneak out behind her back?"

"I'm perfectly fine," he said, "I just want to surprise her with some dinner."

The woman shook her head.

"None of my business," she said, "There's some fresh carrots in the back left from the rush this morning."

Matt headed on back there because C.J. loved the vegetables and he was pulling out the stops tonight. She loved a great barbecue better than almost anything and then maybe they could bring out some dinner music and dance for a while under the tapestry of the night sky. Slow dancing of course, and hopefully…well there was more than one form of dancing after all. If he played his cards right of course.

"Matt, what are you doing here," a familiar voice said from behind him.

Slade had come inside the store to do some shopping of his own, dinner it looked like to him.

"I'm picking up some dinner for myself and C.J."

The rancher looked at him, with some scrutiny.

"Wait a minute," he said, "Aren't you on some form of bed rest?"

Matt's mouth set in a line.

"I'm feeling much better," he said, "A little exercise and fresh air is good for me."

Slade looked doubtful.

"Does C.J. know?"

Matt paused.

"She left early this morning," he said, "She's fixing up the rest of the stable."

"Hasn't finished yet?"

"No, she was…interrupted yesterday," Matt said.

"Ah the storm, right."

Not exactly but Matt would be damned if he would share anymore information with the man who used to be C.J.'s ex boyfriend and still wanted a relationship with her. C.J. might be holding off on him but Matt knew it wasn't because of residual feelings for Slade.

"You cooking for some special occasion," Slade asked casually.

Matt shrugged.

"Every day's a special occasion since I haven't spent much time with her lately," he said, "We're doing barbecue."

Slade placed some vegetables in his own basket.

"I was thinking of asking her out," Slade said, "but she's a bit gun shy I think over how our relationship ended."

You mean how you screwed up the best thing that ever happened to you, Matt thought. Not that he would ever have cheated on C.J. After what happened yesterday, he realized that the woman in front of him was what he wanted. Not just with his body which definitely noticed when she was nearby but what really drove him existed deep within him.

What he had wanted in his life had been in front of him all along.


	33. Chapter 33

Another chapter done. I hope you enjoy it, thanks for reading and for your comments!

* * *

Matt smiled at Slade inside the store.

"You can invite her out but I don't know if she'll accept," he said, "one warned, twice shy, that sort of thing."

Slade bristled a bit beneath his calm exterior.

"I don't know about that," he said, "She seemed pretty receptive to us getting back together when she came to look at my yearlings."

"She didn't stay at your house very long."

"Well the timing wasn't right," Slade said, "I think it will be improving fairly soon."

Slade seemed so confident in himself and in C.J. harboring some serious feelings for him. But Matt knew it was just hopeful thinking. While his own course to convince C.J. of his feelings for her appeared rocky, he still believed he held a better position than her ex-boyfriend. But he did know regardless that the choice would be hers.

"Maybe it's come and it's gone."

Matt reached over to grab another batch of carrots, knowing that C.J. would definitely appreciate that. She had planted some in her huge garden behind the house but they hadn't matured yet.

"I don't think so," Slade said, reaching for some cucumbers.

Matt paused.

"You know what I can't figure out is how you could have let her slip away from you in the first place," he said, "once you realized how special she is and how lucky you were to find someone like her."

"We all make mistakes Matt," Slade said easily, "The one with her was mine."

"Yes it was," Matt agreed, "and you really hurt her with how you treated her."

Slade shook his head.

"Oh come off it Matt," he said, "You've loved many women and you've left them all at some point."

"I never cheated on any of them."

Slade just looked up at him, silently.

"And don't tell me you had to have been there," Matt said, "Because I know for sure that with a woman like C.J. I could never just walk away and treat her like she didn't matter."

Slade looked at him critically.

"Just what are you saying," he asked, "and who are you to judge?"

* * *

C.J. sighed as she sipped her ice tea straight from the bottle. She had settled on the step outside the stable and while the heat baked down on her, she just thought about him. Clouds dotted the sky but she didn't see any signs of rain though that could change in a flash. She certainly didn't want to spend another afternoon sheltered by the stable with only her memories with her. Visions of how he had looked at her, as he coaxed her shirt off of her body and then how his breath had stopped when he saw what he had uncovered. She had thought her own heart would stop beating when his lips had replaced his fingers…

She swallowed her drink with a start and tried to focus on the chore list she had left before she could unveil the newly renovated stable. It still shocked a part of her that she could even look at Matt that way after having known him as her best friend most of her life. Sometimes she had imagined what it would be like if the way he saw her shifted, but she never saw it coming. Not really until the orchard when she had breached the confines of their friendship by kissing him. A moment in time that had turned out much different than she had envisioned.

And much more timeless.

The breeze rustled through the throng of trees and through the long blades of the grass which surrounded the structure. She would have to get the mower out and clear it, to the way she remembered it before she brought her friends out to see it. One sunny afternoon when they had all been sitting on the corral fence parting with their money just to bet against Matt's ability to tame Gut Buster enough to ride him without getting tossed again. A bet they had all lost even though the bronco did wind bucking off Matt after all, when he realized that Matt had lied to him about killing him. Or at least that's what Matt believed though Bo and Lamar thought the horse could have reacting to a bee sting.

Back in those days, she had known he had been off limits even if she had wanted him. After all, around the time of that bet, he had just loved and left a spoiled heiress to a major fortune, a woman as poisonous as any rattler. A woman who had seduced him in his office, leaving him naked as a jaybird in his Jacuzzi with just his favorite hat. Then after C.J. and Slim walked in, she waved goodbye and walked right out of the office past the wall of secretaries. Matt's professional life often collided with his social calendar and everyone in his circle had just gotten used to that. But it had served as another reminder to C.J. that Matt's taste in the opposite sex involved glamour queens who couldn't be more different than herself.

Which she had often told herself was just his tough luck. She had always been perfectly fine with who she was and where her life had been going. And now having taken a break from the frenetic pace of L.A., she felt happier than she had been in a long time. She loved the ranch, she loved the open country and the simple routine of everyday life here. She loved waking up every morning, working all day in the outdoors and then relaxing at night beneath the impressive sky.

As for Matt, her body could answer that question but as for the rest of her, not as easily. In fact, their relationship had just become more complicated. It hadn't seemed that way in the afterglow of when their bodies came together yesterday but since then…she kept talking herself out of what she wanted while reminding herself it had been for the best. After all, their friendship remained paramount.

* * *

Matt didn't feel like judging anybody not even Slade. After all, he had just snuck out of the ranch house to go buy up some food to barbecue up so that he could sweet talk and hopefully slow dance C.J. out of any misgivings she had about them taking their relationship to the next level. Matt had never had very much difficulty in persuading women in that area but C.J. well…she was different and he had to proceed cautiously.

"I'm not here to judge you Slade," he finally answered, "but as her friend, it does matter to me how you treat her and you didn't treat her very well last time."

And Matt had remembered the empty glass and nearly empty liquor bottle that had caught his eye when he bumped into her at the office not long after Slade dumped her. Because when his best friend fell for someone, she fell hard and Slade had been no exception. Hell, his ex-friend Zach who he just fired from his agency had been the first man to betray her trust.

"I know how to treat women Matt," Slade pointed out, "C.J. and I had a lot of fun together as well. She's a very passionate woman who really embraces life."

Matt didn't really need to be told that by the guy who had taken that part of her and had hurt her anyway. Not that this fundamental part of who she was had changed since then, he remembered with a smile.

"Yes she does," Matt said, "and some day she'll be with a fellow who will truly appreciate that."

"I appreciated that," Slade said, "and she liked what I had to offer."

Matt decided he had enough and really had to get back to the house before C.J. rode back there from a day's work. If he weren't there when she returned…Suffice it to say, she probably wouldn't be receptive to any overtures he made towards her tonight.

"Well then ask her," he said, "but whatever her response is, just accept it and move on."

Slade's eyes narrowed.

"You seem awfully confident she'll turn me down."

Matt didn't budge.

"I know C.J. and she's a very smart woman."

"Which still doesn't explain your words," Slade said, "What is it that you know that I don't know?"

Matt looked at him for a long moment, thinking that he couldn't really dislike Slade. Hell, the guy had helped save his life just yesterday but they both wanted the same woman and one of them was going to be disappointed.

He had already decided it wasn't going to be him.

The ranch looked quiet when C.J. had ridden Chelsea in and taken her into the barn. She noticed that Lamar's truck was missing and didn't see the ranch hands around. She saw Cayenne in the corral and decided to take her back into her stall just in case the weather gave a repeat performance of the past couple of days.

After shutting the stall door, she sat down on a bale of hay and looked around her at the ceiling where some birds nested. She saw Mama Kitty slinking around the hay probably searching for some unsuspecting mouse to feed her babies.

She closed her eyes taking it all in, how simple life had been and how less stressful. She felt more at ease in her work clothes from her shirt to her boots, than she ever did in a business outfit and heels. She didn't miss not having to pick a fancy gown and nylons to wear to a charity gala or a night out on the town. She didn't need that to feel like herself, to know she was an attractive, lively woman. After all, she hadn't been dressed up fancy when Matt had walked into the tack room and everything had changed.

* * *

C.J. sighed, remembering that not everything that drove her life had been simplified. She heard footsteps and saw Bo and Lamar walking in the barn. Lamar tossed a couple mushy apples to Beulah who snorted happily in her pen.

"You spoil her more than you did your wife," Lamar said, shaking his head.

"She makes me a hell of a lot happier," Bo said, scratching Beulah's hide while she munched the apples down, bits of them dribbling down her snout.

"What's up you two," C.J. asked, smoothing her jeans.

The two men looked at each other.

"Oh…nothing."

C.J. smiled.

"Sounds interesting," she said, "I guess I'd better go check on Houston. This bed rest's just making him more ornery."

Lamar's eyes widened.

"Uh maybe you'd better rest for a spell," he said, "You've had a very tough day."

She looked at him funny.

"Lamar, I'm perfectly fine," she said, "and Matt's just had a bad spider bite. He needs some care."

And she was perfectly willing to give him some, just not the kind he wanted. She got off the bale and started walking to the barn door.

"Maybe you should…check the tack…"

C.J. tilted her head.

"Why should I," she said, "Lulu and Dylan did a great job with it."

She kept heading to the door.

"Is Houston back yet," Lamar whispered.

"I don't think so," Bo answered, "and he's got your truck."

Lamar looked perplexed.

"Why'd he just go up and decide to go grocery shopping?"

Bo shrugged.

"Don't know but he was sure insistent."

C.J. opened the barn door and both men braced themselves. Sure enough her expression changed and she folded her arms.

"Houston…what are you doing outside?"

Bo just closed his eyes and Lamar patted his shoulder.

"Poor guy, he's going to get it now," Bo just said.

"Maybe she'll go easy on him," Lamar reasoned, "After all she might feel sorry for him."

Bo looked doubtful.

* * *

C.J. watched as Matt approached her in the corral. He smiled broadly at her but she didn't seem moved by that. Her expression certainly didn't seem to be melting as he had hoped.

"I asked you a question."

Matt looked at her.

"Come on C.J. I've been cooped up in that house all day by myself," he said, "So I went out and took Lamar's truck for a little spin."

At that, C.J. looked back at Lamar arching her brow but the ranch hand said nothing.

"Houston, you've just been bitten by a spider that could have killed you…"

"But it didn't C.J. and I know you're concerned but I feel a whole lot better now," he said, "Especially looking at you."

She rolled her eyes.

"Oh just drop it," she said, "And get back into that bed."

He waggled his brows at her.

"I'd be a much better patient if you'd join me."

She bit back a retort when she saw the expression in his eyes, the curve of his lip beneath his mustache. And he knew his effect on her.

"Houston, I've got a lot of work to do," she said, "Slade's coming over for a meeting tonight. I thought maybe cooking up some dinner. You're welcome to join us; we could use your investigative insight."

He kept his feelings in check.

"I'll be more than happy to join you," he said, "but C.J., you've been running ragged these past couple of days and maybe you should keep it short."

She just looked at him in disbelief but Matt felt a wave of stubbornness pass through him. His plans for the evening just didn't include her next door neighbor.

"Matt I feel perfectly fine," she protested.

"Maybe, but you don't want too many days like this to pile up until you can't take it no more."

To his surprise, this time she didn't fight him. Maybe she read his hidden meaning. At any rate, she nodded slowly.

"Maybe you're right," she said, "We just have that one letter to draft. The one to the board of directors at the bank and then we'll call it a night."

Matt nodded, trying to come up with some much needed changes to his plan as she walked to the corral.

"And then I thought maybe we could spend some time together," he said lightly.

She turned around to look at him.

"You just said…"

"I was thinking of maybe taking a soak in that Jacuzzi before turning in," he said, "for medicinal reasons of course."

"Of course," she agreed, "I suppose I could forfeit my use of it tonight."

"Not necessary if you join me," he pointed out.

"Maybe…"

Then a thought or rather an image suddenly hit her, so she tilted her head at him.

"You do plan on wearing a suit, don't you?"

His smile looked innocent but his eyes, not so much. She would definitely have to watch him.

"I know it's not your thing but it would really be better…"

"Of course," he said, "Well I guess I'd better get into the house and get ready for this meeting."

She looked at her watch and saw the time.

"I guess I should to," she said, "I'll see you later."

He nodded and as he watched her leave, he smiled to himself.


	34. Chapter 34

Finally done with another installment! I hope you enjoy it, thanks for reading and for your feedback!

* * *

C.J. just watched the two men sharing the living room with her as they had spent the past two hours trying to draft a simple letter to the bank. A letter that probably would have been done in half of that time if they had been able to focus on the subject at hand rather than on others distractions. Like this unspoken rivalry between the two of them which had suddenly emerged.

Okay, maybe not that suddenly, because she remembered that even when she and Slade had been dating, she had noticed the tension between them even when they engaged in polite banter. C.J. had been more than a little annoyed with her best friend because at the time, he had been splitting his time between a gorgeous flight attendant working for British Airways who had an apartment in L.A. and a jet setting socialite who served with him on the board of a local charity foundation. In fact, she had to run interference between the two of them when their paths nearly collided at the penthouse suite just to keep peace at the workplace. With their caseload at the time, they couldn't really afford to have World War III break out in their midst. But even with his very active social life, Matt still had enough time to knock heads with Slade on several occasions and she realized looking back that perhaps Matt had figured out that Slade had been engaging in the same behavior that she had been doing.

At any rate before her big breakup with Slade, C.J. had told Matt to knock it off more than once. But she figured that since then, the three of them had reached the point where they could work together in a productive fashion to achieve a common goal.

Like right now.

The meeting had begun innocently enough as they decided to eat before settling down to work. Matt and Slade had cooked up some steaks on the barbecue by the swimming pool, medium rare with some roasted potatoes on the side. C.J. whipped up some salad in the kitchen and cooked up some beans that Bo and Lamar had picked from her garden. She looked out of her window from time to time to make sure the two men were on their best behavior. Not that she believed they would ever come to blows but the tension between them recently had been pretty thick and she knew it had to do with her. Slade wanted her to come back to him, giving him a second chance and Matt…well she wasn't sure what he wanted except that he wanted to pick up where they left off in the stable the previous day. As for what she wanted…she would just have to table that until they finished this meeting, with the final draft of the letter in question for the bank.

Slade just shook his head at Matt.

"Matt, are you sure you're up to this," Slade asked, "You just got bitten by the spider yesterday and the doctor said…"

"I'm perfectly fine," Matt said, "probably much better off than the spider."

If Slade looked disappointed, he didn't show it. He focused on the steaks for a moment, making sure they cooked evenly while Matt stuck some more potatoes on the grill.

"It's going to be a pretty dull meeting," Slade said, "Just a bunch of legal talk. Not exactly up your alley."

Matt shrugged.

"That may be but I promised C.J. I would help her on this case and I intend to keep that promise."

"I think she was talking about the investigative side…"

Matt moved some of the potatoes around.

"I've got that part all taken care of," he said, "which leaves me with plenty of time to help out in other areas."

Slade's jaw set.

"Like drafting letters citing case law to a bunch of bankers," he said.

"Slade, I ran a company that became a Fortune 500," Matt said easily, "I'm more than capable of drafting business letters and discussing real estate issues. C.J. and I did it all the time."

"I'm sure that's true but…"

"How much of the letter's been drafted," Matt interrupted, "It should probably be sent right away just before the next board meeting to force them off of their game."

"C.J. had some ideas for the approach we should take," Slade said, "This letter is just the start and we'll see how that goes before we head off to court."

Matt knew that the bankers who held the mortgages for the ranches had better hope they didn't face off against her in court. Then again some people just had to learn how formidable she could be the hard way, fine with him as long as he had a front row seat.

"They'll figure out what they're up against before it even goes that far," Matt said, "And she can more than handle them if it gets inside a courtroom."

"That depends a lot on the judge," Slade said, still keeping an eye on the sizzling steaks.

Matt shook his head.

"It won't matter once she gets rolling," he said, "She could talk a leopard out of his spots."

Slade sighed.

"I'm well aware of C.J.'s gift of persuasion," he said, "After all, we went out together for a while and she can charm a guy out of just about anything."

Matt grabbed another beer out of the ice chest and removed the top, before taking a long swallow.

"Obviously not everything," he said, "After all, you cheated on her…more than once."

Slade looked at his own beer.

"Like I said, I was a different man back then," he said, "I thought I had everything I wanted out of life and what I didn't, that I could buy."

"C.J.'s not impressed with money," Matt said, "She's…"

A feminine voice joined the discussion.

"I am what?"

They turned and there she stood, with what looked like a tossed salad and some beans, while Bo followed her carrying the plates.

Matt blinked his eyes at the sight of her. Dressed in faded jeans and one of her Harvard tee-shirts, her arms folded while she smiled at them. He saw the sparkle of her necklace.

"You're here…"

She looked at him puzzled.

"Well yeah, we're going to eat this great spread and then get down to some working," she said, putting the salad down on the table, "You guys are up to doing this?"

Matt and Slade looked at each other and nodded.

"Good then," she said, "The steaks look great…So do the potatoes and I'm starving."

C.J. must have been really hungry because she cleaned her plate and listened to Slade talk about his yearlings. How he would soon have a group of them for sale. She asked all the right questions and he answered them enthusiastically and she realized that he had really embraced his new life.

Matt joined in discussing horses with them, given that they were one of his favorite discussion topics. He had been raised with them and spent most of his life owning and riding them, beginning when he'd been a little boy.

"They're nice yearlings," C.J. said, "You should get a good price for them."

"It's my first batch," Slade said, "and I think I got lucky.

Matt shook his head.

"Luck's got nothing to do with it," he said, "It's all in how much horse sense you have and how much experience especially with the fillies."

Slade looked at him.

"I think I can handle my own horses including the fillies just fine."

Matt sipped his beer again.

"Didn't say you couldn't," he said, "But sometimes they just need an extra bit of coaxing and sometimes you have to know when to back off a little bit."

Slade folded his arms.

"And you're going to give me advice," he said, "Didn't ask for help with my fillies."

"I wouldn't even think of telling you what to do," Matt said, "with your fillies."

C.J. rolled her eyes at them.

"We're talking about horses right?"

Both men looked at her.

"Of course," they said.

After they ate dinner, they began working on the letter. C.J. had already written most of the draft inside her head.

"I think that should just about take care of it," C.J. said, after she had read them the latest draft.

"What about the closing," Slade asked, "Do you think it's strong enough."

Matt looked over at C.J.

"I think it gets its point across," he said, "You know it's getting late."

Slade looked at his watch.

"What do you mean," he said, "It's not even nine and we're still not finished with the letter."

C.J. threw Matt a funny look.

"Really Houston, another hour's not going to hurt," she said, "We're almost finished."

"It's just that it's been a long day for you and an even longer week…"

She folded her arms.

"Houston, I'm not the one who got bit by the spider," she said, "Maybe you should turn in early and let Slade and I finish it up."

"Oh no, I'm feeling fine," Matt said, "After all, I rested up all day…well except for that drive I took."

Slade nodded.

"Oh yes, that's why I ran into you at the general store in town."

C.J.'s eyes suddenly focused on Matt.

"You went all the way into town," she said, "Houston you were supposed to stay in bed."

Matt raised his brows.

"You know my feelings on that matter," he said.

And yes she did, and her face flushed a bit as she remembered what he had asked her.

"That's not the point," she said finally, "The doctor said that you were very lucky and that it could have been much worse."

"I know what the doctor said," Matt said, carefully, "but I feel just fine, fine enough to feel like myself again in every way."

C.J. just glowered at him.

"Houston, you're not going to go running around my ranch or off of it until you've fully recovered from the bite," she said.

"And who's going to stop me," he said, "There's one way to do that C.J."

Now her face turned crimson. She couldn't believe he was going down this road in front of her ex boyfriend.

"Houston I really don't think…"

Matt held up a finger.

"No C.J., sometimes you think too damn much."

Slade watched the two of them argue.

"Matt, those spider bites are nothing to treat lightly," he said, "You're bound to feel like you've been hit by a truck for a while."

"Maybe for some people but not for me," Matt insisted, "I'm just fine. I'm even making sense when I talk now."

C.J. just looked at him, shook her head and started gathering the dishes to take to the kitchen. Both men watched her leave them in her wake.

"Hit a nerve," Slade asked.

"I don't think so," Matt said, "but it looks like we'd better wrap up this meeting for the night."

Slade gathered some of the remaining dishware and left to take them in the kitchen.

* * *

C.J. filled up the sink with soapy water and started placing dishes inside of it. She couldn't help thinking, here she was, doing the cleanup while the men sat in the living room trading topics but she had to get out of there before she said something she might regret later. Although she couldn't imagine what that would be right now as she could think of quite a few things she could say and not worry about any of them. She rinsed a couple glasses in the sink to add them to the pile, while looking out the window to see that darkness had indeed settled over the ranch.

She hated it when men acted all territorial around her and she knew that underneath the conversation, that's what both her best friend and her ex had been doing. She belonged to herself and no one else, and a man wouldn't get very far with her unless he realized that.

She heard footsteps walk in the kitchen and looked up to see Slade carrying in some dishes. She raised a brow at him and he smiled sheepishly.

"I didn't want you to have to make another trip," he said, looking back to the living room, "Matt's got something in his craw doesn't he?"

She bristled a bit at Slade's approach to what had just taken place.

"I'd say you both had that in common Slade," she responded coolly returning to her dishes.

Slade put the dishes down by the sink and then raised his hands.

"Hey don't lump me in with that behavior back there," he said, "He's clearly got something that's bothering him."

C.J. did agree with that statement and she knew what was on Matt's mind but didn't want to discuss that with Slade.

"Slade, you both were acting pretty much like stallions fighting over a mare…or maybe that's a filly."

His brows shot up at that but his shoulders relaxed after a moment and his voice softened.

"Am I wrong to think there might be some hope for us," he asked, moving closer to where she stood.

She sighed.

"Slade, our time's past," she said, "We took our shot at what I thought was something special but you obviously didn't agree."

"I was wrong C.J. and I told you that," he said, "I want to make amends and I will if you just give me a chance."

She turned to face him.

"I can't do that Slade," she said, "and I don't want to go down that road again with you."

He frowned.

"Then why were you coming on to me like a filly in heat the other day," he asked, roughly.

C.J. closed her eyes, knowing that he did have a point there because a couple of days ago, she had wanted a casual fling with the guy. He had been the one to rebuff her advances, holding out for something more serious.

"I'm sorry about that," she said, "More than you know. I wasn't really thinking…at least not the way I should have been and I'm sure if you felt I was trying to use you…"

His face softened again and his fingers reached out to stroke her hair. But she flinched, before she even realized it and his face changed.

"What's this I see," he said, "I'm not good enough for you…"

And hearing that, she flashed back to another man standing in front of her in another place and time. Her heart started beating fast and anxiety started to fill her. She pushed him away from her.

"C.J…"

She just stared at him, not seeing him for a moment but someone else. Someone who couldn't be standing there because he was safely locked away including inside her memories where he couldn't hurt anyone.

Then her vision changed and there stood a bewildered Slade. Her heart rate slowed down and she took a couple deep breaths to center herself again.

"What's going on with you," he pressed.

She shook her head.

"Slade, I don't want what you want," she said, "I'm not getting back together with you and you just have to accept that."

He looked at her a long moment.

"Why," he said, "Is there someone else?"

She thought about that question for a long time, not knowing the answer. Because what she wanted, and what life brought were often two different things, especially with Matt. After all, she had told him that she loved him before and he didn't respond in kind so she had filed her feelings for him away.

Or so she had thought.

"Slade, it's irrelevant whether there is or there isn't," she answered, "It's just not going to work for us."

He looked at her and then slowly nodded. And at that point, they were joined by Matt who brought in some empty beer bottles for recycling. Matt looked at Slade for a moment and then went to put them in the container. Slade just looked at both of them as if he wanted to say something but instead got ready to leave.

"I can see this evening's over," he said, "I'll get in touch with you when I hear back from the real estate firm."

C.J. nodded.

"Thanks Slade," she said, "for everything."

He nodded back and turned to leave while C.J. remained in the kitchen to finish her dishes.

* * *

Several hours later, she changed into her swim suit and poured herself a glass of her favorite wine to take outside for her nightly soak in the bubbly heaven just outside the door. But when she went out into the pool area, she saw that someone had beaten her to the punch.

Matt sat in the Jacuzzi with a bottle of brew beside him, currents of hot water swirling around him. She hesitated and then moved to sit down, sticking her feet in the comforting heat. He turned around to look at her.

"Coming in?"

She tilted her head at him.

"I'm considering it," she said, "Are you…"

His brow furrowed and then he smiled, shaking his head.

"I'm wearing my suit in case that's your question."

As was she, Matt clearly noted, in fact she was wearing her pink bikini with delicate trim, one of his favorites, but then her figure flattered any bathing suit.

Her face developed a hint of pink as she slid into the Jacuzzi across from him and settled into a comfortable position, closing her eyes.

"It's nice tonight," she said, "I always look forward to this part of the day."

"Me too," Matt said, "Although I thought Shelia would have called you by now to find out how your day went."

C.J. chuckled.

"I think she mentioned something about a new act opening up on her favorite spot on the Strip," she said, "That'll keep her busy tonight."

"Do you miss all that," Matt asked suddenly, "The night clubs…parties?"

C.J. seemed surprised at his question and she shrugged.

"I don't know, it's nice these days just to relax after a hard day's work and get away from the urban life for a while."

Matt agreed and she gazed at him sharply.

"Really," she asked, "You were always so popular with the ladies and your life's slowed down a bit lately."

He arched his brow at her.

"Oh, I wouldn't say that C.J.," he noted, "unless you've already forgotten the time we spent together yesterday during that storm."

She bit her lip looking at him. No she hadn't, all she had to do was look at him sitting across her to remember what it had felt like to have his hands caressing her waist, his lips exploring her own, the heat flushing through her. She took a deep breath.

"No…I haven't…"

He inched closer to her and she definitely noticed that.

"Why are you sitting so far away," he said, "I mean there are only two of us sitting here."

She looked a bit wary.

"I'm sitting out of reach Houston," she said, "I have a feeling that you're got something in mind on your end."

Damn, she had read him clearly as she so often did. So he changed his approach, a smile curling his mouth.

"I would just like to be able to hold a conversation with you and with all this bubbling water going on I can barely hear you."

She snorted.

"Houston, you can come up with something much better than that," she said, "Really, being the player that you are."

He looked taken aback.

"Who's playing," he said, "Okay, but if I misinterpret anything you say, I'm not responsible."

She just sighed and relaxed in the water.

"Rough day?"

She opened her eyes and looked over at him.

"Maybe and don't pretend that you had nothing to do with that," she said, "You didn't follow the doctor's orders and stick to strict bed rest."

"I told you that I would do what the doctor ordered if I didn't have to do it alone," he said, "As I recall, you turned my offer down."

She paused allowing her words to catch up to her thoughts.

"I know what you're doing," she said, "and it's not going to work."

His brow arched again.

"What won't work?"

She didn't respond but gave him another look. And then he crept ever closer. Sweat beaded her face and the ends of her hair drifting in the water around her. She looked to him to be completely relaxed but he knew her mind worked a mile a minute to come up with barriers to surround herself with, against him. And he couldn't figure that part of it out, after all he knew that she had fully enjoyed their passionate interlude, she sure as hell had sounded like it.

He sighed. And she responded quickly.

"What's wrong now Houston?"

"You look tense," he observed.

"I feel just fine," she countered, "This water's working its magic on it as it always does."

He moved closer towards her and again, she noticed.

"Houston…"

He looked innocent, just sitting there looking at her while she sat back, rubbing her shoulder. And that's when he moved in and she didn't protest as he sat right next to her, their skin coming into casual contact.

"What's wrong with your shoulder," he asked.

She shot a look at him while holding onto it.

"Nothing's wrong with it," she said, "I just did a lot of painting in the past couple of days and the muscle's a bit tight."

"I can help with that," he offered.

"I bet you can."

"Oh come on C.J., a little massage will go a long way towards fixing that," he said.

"And you're the expert masseuse now?"

"Well no, but I had an ex-girlfriend who…"

She chuckled at that.

"Enough Houston," she said, "My shoulder and the rest of me are just fine."

He pushed forward.

"Why don't you give me just a minute to help your shoulder…and the rest of you feel better."

She bit her lip to keep from laughing.

"With your magic fingers…" she started then stopped.

Because if truth be told, he really could work magic with his hands and her body still hummed at the memory. She hedged and he raised his brows again, and then finally she nodded.

"Okay…one minute," she said, "We'll see if you live up to your hype."

And as soon as he placed those hands on her, she knew she had lost. Oh, he pushed and prodded, rubbed and caressed her tightened shoulder muscles as she turned her back towards him. And she sighed, in relaxation because he had hit the right spots where the muscles had tensed and tightened into little knots of pain, which he worked skillfully with his fingers. Whoever taught him his technique was damn good.

"Don't fall asleep on me C.J.," he said, cajolingly, "At least not yet."

"In your dreams," she said, as she felt her muscles loosen further from the work she had put into them the past several days. She closed her days and allowed her mind to wander…first about how relaxed she felt to be soaking in the Jacuzzi under the splendor of the ranch which surrounded her. How lovely the moon and stars were forming a tapestry above her and the quietness of the night settling down around her…leaving her at peace. Then she felt something on the back of her neck…

"Houston…what are you doing," she said, though at this point, the question was rhetorical because both of them knew exactly what he was doing.

He was caressing the back of her neck all right but at some point, seamlessly in fact, his lips had replaced his skilled fingers and those hands had settled on her hips.

"Houston…"she said more weakly.

"Mmmmm," he responded, his lips stroking her neck and the moisture which beaded there from the heat radiating from the Jacuzzi.

She felt the words leave her at that point as he continued kissing her neck and then she felt him nibble on her earlobe.

"Houston…Aaaah!"

He smiled, but he didn't stop.

"I take it you like that," he asked, softly.

She didn't respond. She couldn't, as she felt her heartbeat quicken and it became harder to breathe as he caught her earlobe between his teeth and gently tugged on it. Exquisite jolts shot right through her.

"Oh!"

He kept kissing her, moving her hair out of the way with one of his hands to gain better access.

"This is hardball Houston," she said, raggedly.

"I don't know if I'd call it that," he murmured.

Then she felt the strings which attached her bikini top loosen and that's when she turned around to look at him. He stopped when she looked at him, with that penetrating gaze she knew how to use on him to look right through him, at least the person that most other people saw. Then she reached out to touch his face.

"You really want this don't you," she asked him.

He looked back at her and nodded.

"And I know you do too…"

"Oh?"

"Come here…"

She didn't respond to that but just tilted her head and looked at him as if deciding. Then she moved closer to him and kissed him, first gently and then wrapping her arms around him to pull him closer to her. He had no problems with that, moving closer while settling his hands back on her hips, claiming her mouth like he had clearly set his course. He gently pulled her into his lap while they still remained locked in their kiss.

"Oh Houston…"

Their skin touched and suddenly, C.J. didn't want anything to come between them. He broke their kiss finally and stroked the damp hair off of her face.

"Maybe we should take this inside?"

She nodded, her eyes never leaving his face.

"Yeah we should…"

Suddenly, they heard a loud noise, footsteps running and the squeal of what could only be described as porcine.

"Beulah," they both said in unison.

They untangled themselves from each other and looked around to see what was going on around them, what they had missed from being so wrapped up in each other. More footsteps, some yelling and suddenly Bo came running in the pool area. Matt looked at the ranch hand expectedly.

"What's up Bo?"

Bo just stared at him.

"I heard some noises when I was heading back to the house," he said, "I think there was a prowler in the barn."

Matt went on full alert.

"Did you see anyone," he asked.

Bo shook his head.

"But somehow Beulah got out of her pen and I think she's giving chase right now," he said, "We'd better go find out what this is about quick."

Matt looked at C.J. and she nodded. So they both got out of the Jacuzzi grabbing their robes and their shoes. Bo led the way as they all hurried off to the barn. Matt wondering the whole way if Marquis had finally shown his hand.


	35. Chapter 35

Next installment is up! Hope you like it, thanks for reading and for your feedback!

* * *

As Matt and C.J. ran out into the barnyard, they ran into Lamar looking like he had just run a dash.

"What's going on here," Matt asked him.

Lamar just shrugged.

"I was out with Bo making a final check on things and heard a noise from the barn," he said, "Next thing I know, Beulah's churning up a ruckus and comes running out of the barn."

"So she just got out of her pen again," C.J. asked.

The older ranch hand looked doubtful.

"Since that last escape I double checked and her door was secured," Lamar said, "and she was sawing wood with a big old smile on her face not too long ago."

"Where is she now?"

Bo just threw his arms up.

"Your guess is as good as mine, C.J.," he said, "She could be clear across the county by now."

Matt scratched his head.

"I'm guessing more like the lake," he said, "It's a beautiful night for a swim."

C.J. sighed.

"We'd better go find her," she said, "Did you see any signs of anyone, a prowler?"

Lamar looked back at the barn.

"I don't know," he said, "There might have been a dark shape that slipped into the shadows back there."

Matt wondered if that were the case or if Lamar had just been seeing things. But he couldn't take any chances with Marquis running around loose somewhere. He had to contact his security men out doing perimeter and that meant getting his cell phone which he had left by the Jacuzzi.

"I'll be right back," he said, and C.J. watched him leave.

"Houston, we're not exactly dressed…"

He realized that too and they both decided to head off and get changed and then meet back by the barn in a few minutes.

Matt had grabbed his cell phone by the Jacuzzi and called Zeke for an update. The man who had been patrolling the area by the lake said he hadn't seen or heard anything unusual.

"Contact the others and see if they've noticed anything unusual," Matt said, "We're on our way out to the lake."

He clicked off his phone and after changing into his clothes, ran into C.J. outside the barn.

"Where are Bo and Lamar," Matt asked.

"They're out near the orchard," C.J. said, "Beulah could be in there."

"Maybe she caught us a prowler."

C.J. frowned as she turned on her flashlight.

"Who would want to go inside the barn?"

Matt could think of only one person though it didn't necessarily have to be Marquis or even a real person. But if the terrorist had shown up to exact his revenge, he knew he had to be ready.

"We'll have to get the horses."

C.J. nodded and they headed to the barn to saddle them up. Chelsea seemed eager for a little night riding and Matt decided to take Cayenne.

"Beulah is probably swimming in the lake by now," she said.

"It's a warm night C.J.," Matt said, "She's just got the right idea."

C.J. just raised a brow at him.

"I'm not going swimming," she said, "If you want to go splash around with Beulah, be my guest."

Matt smiled.

"No thanks, I have other plans."

She folded her arms, her eyes twinkling.

"Oh you do, do you?"

"With a beautiful young woman," he said, "to pick up where we left off."

Her brow arched.

"Feeling lucky aren't you?"

"You could say that."

She just shook her head as she led Chelsea out of the barn and got aboard. She pulled the reins tight and waited for Matt. When he was ready on Cayenne, the two of them took off towards the lake to look for the wayward porcine. Darkness surrounded them, outlined in shadow but with the moon shining overhead. They crossed the meadow with and C.J. saw the lake ahead.

"I don't see anything," she said.

Matt looked around too. No sign of Beulah or any life form for that matter. They rode closer to the dock that Matt had been fixing up and C.J. got off of her horse.

"I really thought she'd be here splashing in the water by now," she said.

Matt dismounted too and followed her to where she had Chelsea's reins loosely wrapped around a post at the end of the dock. She looked out into the water, but it rippled beneath the surface, leaving that as smooth as glass.

"It's a beautiful night," she said, thoughtfully.

"That it is," Matt agreed, "I forgot I much I loved it here."

"Me too…"

"I should have never left this place and not come back all this time," he said.

"Well, you've been pretty busy the past several years," she said.

Life had quickly become so chaotic, so crazy after Matt had left his ranch to live at his Malibu beach house, a much shorter commute to the office. His wardrobe had shifted away from his ranching attire to more casual wear and his way of looking at the world had changed too. Not long after he had left, Bo and Lamar and some of his other Texan friends had made their way back home while he and C.J. had remained behind in L.A. When Vince had retired from the LAPD after that tragic kidnapping case, he had quickly enough found another cohort and friend in Hoyt. But despite all these changes in the canvas of his life, Matt had never really forgotten how simple and carefree his life had been on his ranch. And a large part of him missed that.

And he had missed the woman alongside him when she had retreated away from city life and had gone up and purchased his ranch out from under him. Probably as he knew now, because she knew him better than he did himself.

"It's been busy for you too," he responded.

"Maybe," she conceded, "but I'm back here and this is really where I want to be."

She walked over to the dock and sat down on it and he took a seat beside her.

"You'll never return to L.A.?"

C.J. appeared to be deep in thought. He knew that this was a decision she had wrestled with but she looked now to be at peace with herself.

"I might work there but here's my home. I love waking up in the mornings here and being in the outdoors and then when the day's done sitting out and relaxing in the outdoors."

Matt nodded.

"The best of both worlds," he said, "but my idea of the best world is one with you in it."

She sighed, throwing her shoulders back a little as she looked out into the lake.

"You're here right now…"

He looked at her.

"C.J. about what happened…"

She stopped him.

"I wanted it too," she said, "It wasn't until afterward that I realized how much. I just got a bit scared."

"Of what?"

She paused.

"Of losing you…Of everything changing…and when it changes again, that we won't be friends because we both want very different things."

He saw her words in her eyes and he cupped her chin with his hand, so she would see what he said as well as hear it.

"That's not going to happen," he said, "But I'd be lying if I'd be content going back to the way things were before we made love."

"Houston…"

"No hear me out," he said, "Because I think that you believe that's what would happen. That we could come together as we did and that I would just walk away."

"How many women have you done that with," she asked simply.

"More than a few," he admitted, "but you're not one of them."

She nodded, thinking about that and then looked at him directly, her hazel eyes studying him for any sign of hesitation.

"Then what am I?"

There wasn't any in his voice. And that was after there hadn't been any in his action as he had bent, to gently kiss her lips.

"You're my best friend…"

Then he kissed her again, this time more deeply and she responded, wrapping her arms around him until they broke for air.

"Who's knocked me clear out of my saddle in other ways."

She smiled, touching his mouth with her fingers.

"Like how," she said, as she brushed her mouth with her own, "You mean this?"

That definitely got his attention. He stroked her hair back with his own fingers and she closed her eyes loving the sensations which ran through her when he did that. Also knowing that he knew damn well his full effect on her as her heartbeat quickened from his touch.

She kissed his chin, where a beard threatened and then the corner of his mouth.

"Or this…"

He stroked her face, one finger trailing down to her lips.

"We'd better head on back," he said.

Her brows rose.

"Now who's turning shy?"

He chuckled.

"I'm talking about the ranch house," he said, "which is where we were heading anyway when all this happened."

C.J. frowned for a second.

"We'd better tell Bo and Lamar we didn't see Beulah."

Matt nodded.

"Maybe they found her," he said, "She loves the apples in that orchard."

Oh yeah, C.J . remembered that they had chased her through there the other day just before they had kissed and she had forgotten for a while where she had been, nothing had mattered except the two of them discovering each other.

"That orchard is one of my favorite places too," Matt mused, "And the apples are not so bad either."

She looked at him suddenly.

"I'll race you back…"

He tilted his head.

"So you think you have the faster horse?"

She laughed.

"I know I do cowboy but you're free to disagree," she said, "What are you willing to wager?"

He thought about it.

"I win…you spend the night with me…"

She rolled her eyes at him.

"And if I win?"

He waggled his brows.

"I spend the night with you…"

She just shook her head as they untied their horses and got back in the saddle to head on back. She gave Chelsea some rein and then turned to look back at him.

"What if we finish in a dead heat?"

Matt's slow smile answered that question for her.

* * *

They headed back across the pasture, opting for a trail through it lit by the moon and sure enough, Chelsea had the younger filly's measure but not by much and Matt's prized filly finished just a length behind her.

Matt swung his horse by her to pat her on the back.

"You won…"

"I think we both did."

They ran into Bo and Lamar in the barn and they saw that Beulah had returned to her pen and now noshed on some apples.

"You found her in the orchard," C.J. guessed.

Bo nodded.

"She was hiding in the trees," he said, "Probably thought she would get into trouble."

Matt frowned.

"Did you ever see anything suspicious?"

Bo and Lamar looked at each other then at both of them.

"No, can't say that we did," Bo said, "Maybe we just saw shadows and thought it was someone."

Matt wanted to believe that was the case but still, he didn't want to regret later that he had blown a chance not to stop Marquis if he had launched a plan to go after them on the ranch. He hadn't heard any suspicious activity reported by the security men so maybe there hadn't been any prowler. Resting easy would be near impossible until the law enforcement authorities caught up with Marquis.

He sighed.

"I think we'd all better call it a day," he said, "but if you ever see anything…"

Bo just looked at him.

"Is there anything we should be looking out for?"

C.J. caught the tone in his voice and looked at Matt too. But he didn't say anything for a long moment.

"Houston," Lamar started.

Matt interrupted him.

"I just think that we can just never be too careful," he said, "Our line of work attracts enemies."

Now C.J. really felt her guard go up.

"Houston, if there's anything in particular?"

He shook his head.

"It looks like tonight's a false alarm anyway," he said, "and what's important is that Beulah's back home safe making a dent in the apple harvest."

Bo shook his head.

"She's got an appetite that just won't quit."

Lamar chuckled.

"Sounds like someone we both know…"

Bo scowled.

"Now you wait just a dog gone minute…"

The two men said goodnight and continued with some good-natured verbal sparring as they walked to their cabin. C.J. and Matt watched them go before he turned to face her.

"Now where were we?"

She looked at him playfully.

"Oh…I don't know if I can remember…"

He swept her up in his arms and carried her.

"Does this help," he asked.

She placed her hands on his head and kissed him briefly, the taste of him on her mouth jolted her memory.

"I think it does…"

He chuckled as they headed to the ranch house.

"So which bedroom," he asked.

"Does it matter?"

No it didn't, so he opted for the closest. And things happened quickly after that once they slipped inside the darkened room leaving the rest of the world outside.

* * *

Afterward, she lay wrapped up in his arms, his breath against her skin, the perspiration drying on their skin. C.J. felt her heartbeat begin to gradually slow down and her muscles relaxed even as his arms tightened.

"I'm not going anywhere," she told him, "I'm where I want to be."

He kissed her hair, his own heart still racing a bit and she snuggled closer to him.

"I like your style Ms Parsons," was all he said.

She almost blushed but why should she, even though once they had stepped inside the room; she had taken matters into her own hands and had started removing his clothing before he had a chance to respond. When he did, only one word slipped out.

"C.J…"

She stopped him with another kiss as his shirt slid off his body and she started exploring his chest with her fingers. She loved the roughness of his skin, the texture of his hair. He loved her touch, gentle at first and then when her mouth followed…

"What's the matter," she asked, out of breath, "You never had a woman lead when you ask her to dance?"

And she thought afterward, that his skin had flushed a fewer shades of pink itself pretty soon after that. But then she had even surprised herself with her boldness.

She moved from his embrace and lifted herself up on her elbows. Matt looked at her wondering how her beauty had slipped away from his notice for so long. He had always known it was there but not how just how much.

"The night's still young," he said.

She smiled at that.

"True…"

And her lips captured his own again, as he pulled her closer to him. Their bodies mated together but no more so than their hearts.

* * *

C.J. had risen the next morning and Matt had still been asleep. She had smiled figuring that he needed it given that she hadn't been the one still recovering from a dangerous spider bite. The sheets remained tucked around his waist and she left him that way, since he appeared so peaceful.

She felt that peace too and as the sunlight streamed through the window, she went to check her phone messages before she would head outside and check on the horses. As she clicked her email, she noticed that she had received another from "Old Friend."

_You had one minute to change my mind…but you didn't change it. _

She gasped inwardly because there was no way the sender could be anyone but him, because only he had known what had happened when she had been his hostage, his leverage against Matt to get him to free his son by reversing his eyewitness testimony. She felt herself begin to hyperventilate and tried to center herself by taking deep breaths. Then she sat down in a chair, after putting the phone down.

And then she heard his voice.

"C.J., what's going on here?"

She turned to face Matt who had woken up and looked at her, his eyes taking in the expression on her face.


	36. Chapter 36

Here's another installment of this FF story. I hope that you enjoy it and thanks for reading and the feedback!

* * *

C.J. just looked at Matt who now sat up in bed, with those same sheets still draped around his waist but his chest remained bare, sprinkled with the hair that she had just been lacing her fingers through not so long ago. He looked at her and she knew he missed little, given his observation skills that had been honed through his years spent investigating hundreds of cases.

She put her phone away and stood up.

"I'm just about to go get started on a day's work."

He looked her over.

"You're dressed."

She tilted her head.

"Well of course," she said, "I can't very well go out without any clothes on."

He patted the bed.

"You could come back in here."

She felt tempted, really she did especially when he put it like that but she had a lot to take care of on the ranch, starting with the horses.

"I've got a lot to do," she said.

"Need some help?"

C.J. looked back at him, shaking her head.

"Houston, you're supposed to be resting," she said, "That's what the doctor told you to do and you didn't get a whole lot of it last night."

He smiled, scratching the back of his neck.

"No I didn't," he said, I think I have a certain woman to thank for that."

C.J. blushed a bit.

"Yeah well I wasn't thinking at the time."

"Neither was I," he said, "but C.J. I can assure you I'm plenty well rested."

She folded her arms.

"For what Houston," she said, "For a full days worth of riding back and forth across the ranch and fixing up some fencing on the far side under the hot sun?"

"I can handle it," he said, "It's much better than just being lazy inside the house by myself while everyone else is out working."

"You came here to relax…"

"I am relaxed," Matt said, "I've never been so relaxed. I'd be even more so if…"

C.J. smiled.

"Later Houston," she said, leaving him.

She heated up some leftovers for breakfast and to pack for lunch and then went to the barn. She saw Bo and Lamar talking to Lulu and Dylan inside the barn.

"Where are you heading today," Bo asked.

"I think I'm going to check the stable and then head off to the far end to see if the fencing is holding up there," she said as she went to Chelsea's stall.

"We thought we'd work on the garden today," Bo said, "Lamar told me this morning that we needed a lot more peppers than we used up making all that chili."

C.J. definitely agreed that you could never have too many peppers in the garden and she knew Matt loved them too.

"Okay, how about a half dozen plants for every kind," she said, opening the stall door and reaching for Chelsea's halter after giving her a few pats.

Lulu looked up from where she sat polishing some bridles.

"I think adding some chives and basil would be great," she added, "My aunt used to have a cool herb garden."

C.J. smiled.

"That sounds great," she said, "Maybe Bo and Lamar can round up some seeds and add in between the rows of peppers."

Bo looked past C.J. and she turned around knowing what she would see, or rather who. And sure enough, there walked in Matt, dressed up in his working duds. She put her hands on her hips and looked at him.

"And what are you doing here," she said, "You're supposed to be resting today."

"I told you I'm plenty rested," he said, "I need something to do today or I'll go stir crazy and I won't be responsible for what you'll find at the end of the day."

She looked at him carefully. Fully knowing that if she rode off for the day that Matt would run around and tire himself out trying to do too much. She decided she had to minimize his wear and tear so she came up with an idea.

"Why don't you help them with the garden," she said, "You can be in charge of tending to the bean plants and helping add to the nice peppers collection."

He looked at her, his brows furrowing.

"You want me to play in the garden all day," he said, "C.J., that's not work. It doesn't seem right to let you do all the hard chores."

She lifted her brow at him, because for a moment there, she almost weakened. But then the rational side of her brain reminded her that if they rode off to work on the ranch together, they probably wouldn't wind up getting very much work done at all. Just like they hadn't gotten much sleep last night.

"Houston, I need you in the garden," she said, "if you really want to be a big help, you can help Bo and Lamar decide which prize chilies you want to plant."

Bo and Lamar looked at each other and then C.J. shot them both a look.

"Houston, of course we need you to help us with the planting," Lamar said, nodding, "No one knows Texas chili and which are the best chilies better than you."

Good Lamar, C.J. thought.

"After all, when we won the chili contest five years running, who inspired us to greatness?"

Then there was laying it on a bit thick, she thought again.

Matt just looked at both men doubtfully.

"If that's so then how come you never want me in the vicinity when you're cooking up a batch?"

The two ranch hands looked at each other.

"Houston, we just know how busy you are running around the ranch," Lamar said, "or solving one of your cases, that's all."

Matt didn't look convinced. C.J. just smiled and after stroking Chelsea's nose, began saddling her up.

"I'd better get on going and leave you to your gardening," she said, leading her horse out of the barn.

Matt followed her.

"Okay, I'll do that on one condition…"

She turned around and looked at him.

"I don't know if I even want to hear this," she said, chuckling.

He took a couple steps towards her and she crossed her arms.

"That you'll have dinner with me tonight."

She tilted her head.

"I'll…think about it and get back to you," she said.

"Come here first…"

She almost said something but when he put it that way…and his arms around her felt like they belonged there…

She loved kissing him even more.

"C.J. are you sure…"

She smiled at him and went to get on her horse to leave. As soon as she did, she pulled in the reins and then winked at him.

"I'll see you later."

And then she rode off towards the stable.

* * *

Bo and Lamar walked outside up to where Matt stood, and asked him if he were ready to get started. Matt walked with them back to the barn to get the equipment. But before he reached there, his phone rang. He pulled it out and saw that it was Hoyt.

"Hoyt, good to hear from you," he said, "What's up?"

"I heard back from the FBI Houston," Hoyt said, "They've been tracking that money trail and Marquis accumulated quite a treasure chest offshore."

Matt thought about that quickly, stopping in front of the barn while the others brought out the gardening tools.

"I wonder what he's up to," he said, "I don't want to find out the hard way, having him just show up and somehow get past my men."

Hoyt sighed.

"We're doing all we can," he said, "He hasn't shown up in L.A. at all. We put a detail around your beach house and the office building. Guards up in the penthouse suite, driving Murray crazy from what I hear."

That might be so but Matt didn't want to take any chances with any of his employees or friends who worked for him. He didn't think that Marquis would go after them but he didn't want to take any chances.

"Any sign of him besides his money?"

Not that he didn't already know what the answer would be.

"No Houston," Hoyt said, "not a word and those emails you forwarded…couldn't be traced."

Oh but Matt believed that the terrorist had sent them as a calling card to expect him, but at the same time having to guess when and where which was part of the psychological assault on him.

"C.J. doing okay?"

"She's doing just fine Hoyt," Matt said, "She's doing…more than just fine."

"From the sound of that, I take it she's really taken to this ranching she's been doing."

"You can say that," Matt said, "and she's done a great job which you'll see when you come to the barbecue."

"I wouldn't miss it," Hoyt said, "You take care of each other and I'll get in touch with you soon."

"Thanks Hoyt," Matt said, clicking off his phone before heading to the garden for a full day of playing in the dirt.

* * *

C.J. sat in the stable's office looking at the trophies on the wall. She had just finished up touching up the paint and her renovation of the structure both inside and out would almost be completed. She had opened up some of the windows so that the air could circulate through the structure which had already begun to heat up. Never the most comfortable place to be this time of year with the exception of the other afternoon when she and Matt had been too busy doing other things to notice the heat that had only been tempered so much by the storm.

What now existed between the two of them both elated and frightened her at the same time. She envied him his ability to throw himself without holding back into his relationships with women. Her, on the other hand, she tended to be more cautious and experience had taught her that. First when she had given herself completely to Zach when she had been young and then he had left her without a second glance. It had reminded her so much of when her father had died when she was a little girl, had walked out to head to work one morning and hadn't come back by nightfall. What had happened instead is that her mother had received a phone call and then had collapsed in tears, the light in her eyes completely erased and something else replaced it. And it had never really come back after that. She had learned at a young age that sometimes people could disappear from your life and there wasn't anything you could do or say, let alone even prepare for it.

Like with her boyfriend Carl, who she had begun to lower her reserves around after dating him for several months. But how could you not with a man like him, who was sweetly thoughtful yet had a devilish sense of fun? But she had kissed him goodbye with the promise of coffee while he waited for his car to be fixed and had gone home with Too-Mean fully expecting her boyfriend to enjoy her and finish telling her what he had started. And she had waited the coffee growing cold and finally receiving a phone call from Hoyt that her boyfriend had been hit by a car, suffering serious injuries that claimed his life on the operating table. Matt had been in Texas giving a deposition and couldn't be reached at the time.

She had met Carl not long after she and Matt had returned to L.A. after their run in with Marquis and he had hosted a party in his office suite to help the both of them put that nightmare behind him. It had been just before the kidnapping case that pushed Vince into retirement, one last chance for everyone to be enjoying each other before life brought a series of changes their way. Mama had brought some of her famous pizza and Bo and Lamar had flown in for the occasion. Carl had shown up as the good friend of one of the secretaries and had managed to bump into C.J. when both had gone out on the helipad for some fresh air. She hadn't really been in the mood to party because what had happened with Marquis had remained fresh on her mind but within minutes, he had her smiling and then chuckling. Matt had seen them together and it made him feel better that for the first time in a while, C.J. acted more like herself as he told her later. She couldn't argue against that, having liked the businessman on sight.

But life had really thrown her a curve there and it had taken her months to recover and maybe between that and her declaration of love to her best friend that had never really been answered, well that left her vulnerable to the effusive charm of Robert who now sat in prison, his sociopathic behavior on ice for a long time.

Her phone rang and she pulled it out, seeing that it was Shelia.

"What's up girlfriend," Shelia said.

"I'm sitting in the stable finishing it up. As soon as the paint dries, it might be presentable."

"Is that the same place where you and…"

C.J. felt the heat fill her face.

"Shelia, seriously is that all you think about?"

Her friend just chuckled.

"And you're not right now," Shelia said, "I would think that just sitting there would bring back all kinds of memories."

Damn, her friend knew that about her. Because even while touching up the paint on the stall gates, that had been all she had been thinking about, though of course there were other pleasurable memories too.

"Okay, you got me," C.J. admitted, "I'm sitting here thinking about him. Satisified?"

Shelia laughed again.

"C.J. you really are getting grouchy in your old age," she said, "You're back on the ranch away from the madness of bar hopping in good old L.A. and you've got one of the best pieces of eye candy who's no doubt left a trail of unhappy women missing his attentions."

"Houston's recovering from his spider bite," C.J. said, "But he's working with the others in the garden today, planting some more vegetables and peppers."

"Probably thinking that there's more fertile ground out there that he'd rather be planting in…"

C.J. bit back a retort. Really her friend could be outrageous at times.

"Look, he and I have been spending…time together," she said, "But we're just feeling our way through this for a while."

"I'll bet…"

C.J. had to chuckle at that one.

"I've got to get back to work," she said, "I'll get back to you later."

"Oh please do," Shelia said, "My own life is so damn boring, I have to live vicariously through others these days."

C.J. clicked off her phone and then checked her emails. There weren't any new ones, including from the sender who had claimed to be an old friend. She wondered if it were a vengeful ex boyfriend , a prankster or if….it were really Marquis.

But how could that be? He was locked up inside a cell of one of the most secure, heavily fortified penal institutions in the country. Then again, the brief time that she had spent in his captivity had given her some clue about the man's native intelligence and ruthless ability to act on a dime. But he had insecurities as well and one had been one that she unsuspected, had tapped into, one that she had later used to her advantage. But survival in the ruthless world that she had fallen into necessitated some of that on her part. She sat in her chair just staring at her phone, wondering how she would ever tell him, when she didn't know what to say to herself about the memories she had packed away hoping that she would someday be free of them.

* * *

Matt toiled away in the garden, as the heat broiled the air around them. Bo and Lamar had brought out a huge container of some of their famed ice-cold sweet tea which fortified everyone's resolution to keep working when it began to flag. Not that Matt loathed gardening, far from it but he couldn't believe that he was knee deep in dirt, his hands coated with drying mud and his muscles beginning to ache while C.J. was out riding through the ranchland repairing fencing, work he should really be doing. He reached for some of his tea and sipped it thoughtfully, before gazing back at the row of freshly sown earth that now held onion seeds. Lulu and Dylan had taken a break and were chatting underneath the shade of a nearby tree and Bo and Lamar in classic form were arguing about where to put the Serrano peppers and whether their flavor would be compromised by planting them next to the jalapenos.

"No Bo, the Serrano peppers need plenty of room for maximum flavor," Lamar insisted, "If you put them too close to the jalapenos , they'll end up tasting like some mixture of both."

Bo scoffed.

"Lamar, that's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard and being you, that's saying a lot."

Lamar shook his head.

"It's in the chili code," he said, "You don't mix your peppers until they're freshly picked and in the Texas chili."

Matt watched the two of them go at it, enjoying their banter because it reminded him of all the years they had spent as part of his life. They never did it to hurt each other and it was all in good fun. Still if it continued, he might have to break it up so they could finish the planting and if they did that early enough, he could saddle up a horse and go to check on C.J. to see how she was faring.

Just to make sure she was safe of course. Though seriously he trusted his security forces to do that for him without her even being aware they were doing that. No, the truth was that even while working in the garden, he hadn't been able to stop thinking about her. He had watched her ride away on Chelsea believing that he had never seen anything so beautiful. Well except perhaps for the vision that met him when he woke up this morning after several hours of sleep.

Not that he felt that now. He felt energized and despite her protestations, fully rested. The stress which had haunted him during the past few months had melted away once he had returned here and now he understood fully why.

"Houston, are you sitting there taking a nap," Lamar said, breaking into Matt's reverie.

"I've been real busy here all morning," Matt said, "Did you settle your argument with Bo about the Serrano peppers?"

Lamar shrugged.

"We both put that to bed with a friendly wager," he said, "You want in? You back me, it's a sure thing."

Matt hedged, those words taking him elsewhere.

"Well Lamar," he said, "I've been saving my money up for a while so I'm cutting back on the gambling."

Lamar's eyes widened.

"Really?"

Matt nodded.

"At least involving money," he said, "though there are other ways."

Lamar looked at him funny and then nodded.

"I see what you mean," he said, "but I really think you should hold onto your horses."

Matt raised a brow.

"Lamar…"

"I mean don't go making a bet that you have to cash with one of them," Lamar said, "I know how much you love them especially the paint filly."

Matt blinked, as he had been talking about something else entirely. Oh and about how the day's hours had been ticking away slower than the flow of molasses sap out of a tree.

* * *

C.J. tried to put the thoughts of the past away where they belonged. After all, life had continued on after the ordeal on Marquis' island. Matt had arrived back in town, ditched her to go to the fights with Vince and dropped right back in the dating game.

His relationship with Elizabeth of course had put a stop to that. Now she thought she knew her best friend very well from all the years they had spent together but the announcement of his engagement to the heiress…that had thrown everyone through a loop. And when it hadn't worked out…it had taken him a while to get back on the horse so to speak. And now months later, he was with her and she had thrown in her lot with him, happily so. But a part of her still hesitated wondering how long it would last, after all Matt had been a player so long in his adult life, she didn't know if he even was aware of how it had defined him. As if the string of women shouldn't have served as a reminder, not to mention the write-ups in the social columns, the positions on the top 10 bachelor lists in upper L.A. society.

Still as visions of him back near the ranch house working on the garden filled her…the day passed too slowly and she thought about ending it early and heading on back. But she wanted the ranch to be finished and ready definitely before she threw her housewarming barbecue. She got up and headed outside to get Chelsea and head off to address the fencing. Fortunately, no animals had wandered through it as had been the case with Slade's yearlings but it should be patched up. She got aboard her horse and headed off towards the far end of the ranch, putting more distance between herself and the place she wanted to be.

* * *

Matt took a break, sweat drenched the back of his work shirt and he had gone to the water spigot to rinse the grime off of his hands so that he could eat his lunch. Lamar had made up some sandwiches of which Matt couldn't identify but he decided that some things could remain mysteries because they tasted delicious. Lulu and Dylan had finished planting some tomato plants next to the onions under Lamar's watchful eye. Matt thought he was taking this oversight a bit seriously but C.J. had put him in charge and Lamar took that seriously.

"Hey I never took you for a down to earth type," a masculine voice said.

Matt looked up to see that Slade had walked up to them.

"What brings you here," he asked.

Slade looked back towards where he parked his truck.

"I brought the final draft of the letter," he said, "Is C.J. around?"

"She's out fixing some fencing," Matt answered, "She'll be back later this afternoon."

The other man frowned.

"I really wanted her to proof it," he said, "Maybe I can drop by later…"

Matt sipped his tea.

"We've got plans for dinner," he said, "She really needs a night off from everything."

Slade looked at him.

"She's helping those ranchers because she wants to Houston."

Matt narrowed his eyes a bit.

"And why are you doing it Slade?"

If Slade were caught off guard by what Matt said, he didn't show it.

"I'm in it for the same reason," he said, "to help these folks hold onto their land."

Matt paused this time, picking his words.

"When you've grown up on a ranch, you know how much the land matters to you," he said, "So much so you want to keep it in the family for your kids and grandkids."

"I understand that Houston," Slade countered.

"Not as much as she does," Matt said, "Just something to keep in mind next time you use this to do some rekindling."

"That's none of your business."

"I'm making it my business Slade," Matt said, "You hurt her once; you won't be getting another chance."

"That's for her to decide Houston," the other man said.

"I believe that she did make that decision," Matt said, "It's you who is having trouble accepting it."

Slade shook his head.

"She is not eager to get back with me, that's true but she could still change her mind."

"I wouldn't count on that happening," Matt said, "So maybe you had better call it a day and move on and let her move on too."

Slade just looked at him startled.

"If I didn't know better, I would think that you're trying to get her to move on with you."

Matt just looked at him.


	37. Chapter 37

Here's the latest installment of this FF. Hope you enjoy it and thanks for reading and the feedback!

* * *

Slade looked at him as if expecting an answer and Matt didn't plan to give him one. What was happening between him and C.J. was their business and not Slade's. A part of him wanted to say that yes, they had gotten together but he knew that C.J. still felt sensitive about it and so he said nothing.

"Slade, if you're finished," Matt said, putting his empty glass down, "I've got some more onions to plant."

He stood up and walked back to the garden. The sun had began to sink in the sky but the heat still permeated every inch around them though in the distance, Matt could see those familiar storm clouds. And the sight of them, darkening over the mountains made him smile to himself.

"It looks like it might rain," Slade said having seen them too.

"It's that time of year," Matt said, as he reached for the bag of seed that Lamar had brought, "and the rain's badly needed."

"I hope C.J. doesn't get caught in it."

Matt started digging in the soil.

"C.J. can handle herself just fine Slade," he said, "She grew up on a ranch like I did. We're used to this kind of weather and we both know what to do."

"She just got caught in that bad storm, didn't she?"

Matt remembered that quite well.

"We got caught in it," he said, "and we found shelter and when it was…over, we headed on back."

If Slade wanted to fill in some gaps in Matt's account, there was nothing he could do about it. But the other rancher just nodded.

"That was handy," he said, "It couldn't have been that long anyway. These storms are fierce but they blow through quick."

Matt knew how quickly storms lived but when he had been caught with C.J., time had stopped along with everything else around them falling into the background. At least it had felt that way when she had been with him.

"It was long enough," he said, "but it did pass. It was just a storm after all."

Slade smiled.

"A force of nature, you might call it."

Matt hedged, thinking of something else associated with those words. Or more accurately, someone else, a young woman busy across the ranch somewhere.

"Maybe…"

Slade continued with his narrative.

"Then at some point, you got bitten by that spider? What a terrible day."

Matt felt irritation fill him and he put his shovel down.

"These things happen," he said, "And as far as days went, the rest more than made up for it."

"You seem to be doing much better," Slade said.

"I never felt better."

Slade frowned.

"Look Matt, you can't blame me for wishing things could be different between her and me."

No, Matt couldn't blame him for that but the guy had to start facing reality and that was that she had moved on with her life.

"Like I said, I think she's told you how she feels about that," Matt said, "You need to respect her feelings."

"That's what I've been doing," Slade said, "We're still working together after all and we're still neighbors."

Bo came up to both of them.

"Lamar and I will be taking the two hands out to town for some dinner," he said, "Lulu told us there's a new barbecue place."

Matt nodded.

"I heard that place is pretty good," he said, "Not as good as home cooked of course."

"Do you and C.J. want to go with us," Bo asked.

Matt looked up at him.

"Thanks but we're both planning to stay close to home tonight," he said, "Been a really eventful week."

Bo accepted that and went back into the barn. Slade sighed and started to leave.

"I guess I'll be going," he said, and then turned around, "There was a man who dropped by the ranch today asking questions about some of the ranches in the area including this one."

Matt looked up at him.

"Did he leave a card?"

"No, but it could be someone connected with that developer who's been looking to build out here," Slade said, "Still it was strange him coming around like that just asking questions."

Matt wondered if he were truly connected with any developer. There certainly were some strange people showing up in the area during the past several days. And still no solid leads reported on the whereabouts of Marquis. But then Matt figured this could be part of his plan, to have Matt and the others sit around and think about his actions or wait for him to come after them. Then waiting for the moment when their guard was down to strike.

"Well I'll see you later," Slade said as he left.

Matt continued working in the garden but wondered about the man who had stopped by Slade's ranch clearly looking for something.

* * *

C.J. nailed the final piece on the fencing and then stood back and looked at the finished product. She rubbed the sweat off of her face, really feeling the heat. But the fence stood straighter than it had earlier and that meant that she could get Chelsea and head on back to the ranch earlier than planned. She felt a warm breeze hit the back of her neck and that there were dark clouds approaching. The afternoon monsoon appeared to be arriving on schedule but she knew at least this time she had time to head on back to the ranch house and enjoy it from there. She pictured Matt back toiling in the garden with the others and suddenly couldn't wait to see them. Actually she had been thinking about him all day, and how his arms would feel around her when she returned, his mouth on hers.

She packed up her tools and took them to put in her saddle bag to head on back before the storm hit. But she decided to check her phone for her messages but found none. She noticed that she did have some new emails. She clicked on the list and discovered another from the unidentified sender called "Old Friend". Her body tensed as she clicked it open.

_You're much more beautiful than he said…that will prove to be very useful._

Damn, this couldn't be him, could it? How could he be sending emails from where he remained locked up in prison? Had he instructed someone from the outside to send these messages, someone he paid? She knew that she should tell Matt about the emails but no, they had to be some prankster that may have known about how Marquis had kidnapped her and Matt from the trial which had received a lot of publicity. But not everything had come out about the hijacking and kidnapping at the trial, not even when she had testified on the stand.

No reason to revisit those days which she had put behind her, she thought as she returned back to the present and to the beautiful land which surrounded her, the breeze hitting her face from the south west which hinted of damp earth, the quiet before the storm.

She turned off the email and untied Chelsea before getting on and heading back to the ranch and Matt.

The wind picked up quite a bit when Matt had patted the last onion seed into the soil. Bo and the others had headed off to the barbecue place leaving him alone. Well not exactly for much longer. And sure enough, as the wind blew in the humidity mixed with flying dust and leaves, he saw her on her horse heading on towards the barn. He stood up and patted the dirt off of his jeans and headed towards the corral. By the time he arrived, she had already began leading Chelsea to the barn, just as the huge drops began to fall at first lightly before the full thrust of the storm arrived.

She unsaddled Chelsea and settled her in her stall and then turned around to look at Matt. It took two steps apiece for them to reach each other and less than that to fall into each others' arms as their lips met eagerly.

"I missed you," she said, between kisses.

He just smiled, stroking her lips with his fingers.

"Let's head inside," he said, wrapping his arm around her shoulder, "I've got a perfect way for us to pass the time until this storm ends."

So did she and as it turned out, they thought an awful lot alike.

She wrapped herself in the linens of her bed, listening to the rain fall on the roof of the house, and the room darkened after the clouds had overwhelmed the bright sunlight outside. He lay there beside her on his back, with her head lying on his chest. They had ordered pizza a while ago and knew it might take a while to arrive but they'd keep busy in the meantime.

"I love storms," she said, thoughtfully, "and how the air smells so fresh, and the sounds…"

Matt had always enjoyed storms himself but no more than he had since he'd come back to the ranch and spent a couple of them with her.

"I think it's in the company you keep," he said, tightening his arm around her, "who you spend that time with."

She felt her eyes sting, the warmth of his body against her skin, the vibration of his heartbeat.

"I guess so."

"I know so," he said.

She paused.

"I guess this means we're together."

"I'd say so," he said, "I know I'm exactly where I want to be."

His words warmed her but scared her too.

"Houston…we're two adults both free and single enjoying each other's company away from the city at a place that has given us both great memories."

He digested that.

"Do you really think this is what this is all about?"

She turned her head to look at him.

"I don't know what to think," she said, "There's so much going on right now…"

"I mean it C.J.," he said, "This isn't a casual thing for me."

She sighed.

"I know," she said, "and it's not for me either. I'm just not sure what to do…I don't know if we even both want the same things."

He stroked her hair and she closed her eyes.

"What I want is for this time we're together here not to end," she said, "But soon you'll be heading back to L.A. and I'm not sure what my future holds."

He heard the emotions weighing in her voice, competing with each other.

"We're together now and that's what matters," he said, "We'll work the rest of it out as we go along. That's what people do in relationships."

She knew that, after all that was what she had done so many times in the past. Whether it had worked out or not, but with him everything seemed different. But she had so many complications in her life, not the least was that she had been receiving emails from the chapter of their lives that she and Matt thought they had closed behind them. And she didn't know why.

"Are you willing to do that," he asked her.

She nodded but he still saw hesitation there.

"C.J…"

The doorbell rang in the distance and they realized that was the pizza delivery person. The two of them looked at each other.

"I'll get it," Matt said, finally with a smile.'

* * *

He got out of bed and C.J. well, she had never been able to keep her eyes off of a fine male specimen. Matt put on his jeans and zipped them up, as he left the room. She lay back, thinking back to what they had just shared during the past couple of days, the explosion of passion that face it, had probably been pushed aside by both of them for longer than either would admit but what did it translate to for the future? C.J. didn't know if she would ever really move back to live in L.A. Okay, she might go back there to work but she had fallen in love with the ranch that belonged to the man who she had loved for years. As her closest friend and...more than that but she knew that he enjoyed living in the city, with his exciting profession, all the popular night spots and the women…

She sighed and rolled over, thinking that maybe she should get up and go think about what she really wanted but a larger part of her nixed that thought when he returned back in his room dressed only in jeans and a smile and carrying what smelled like truly delicious pizza.

Now C.J. had been a pizza loyalist since she had moved to L.A. and discovered Mama Noveli's own unique trademark cuisine including the best pizza she had ever tasted. And when the Novellis had moved away after Vince's retirement to a new life, she had felt like a huge chunk of her life had moved with them. Just like when Bo and Lamar had moved back to Texas several years ago and when they came back to help her with her ranch…she has filled with a happiness she hadn't noticed had been missing in her life until it returned. But having Matt come here and okay, into her bed, that opened up a flood gate for different emotions, some of which meshed together well, some…not so well. But looking at him now, she knew how much she wanted to bring them all together in some form of harmony.

"Anchovies are on your side," Matt announced as he placed the pizza container on the bed between them and opened up the lid.

A plethora of scrumptious odors struck C.J. and she smiled, grabbing up a piece piled with those little fishes and other things equally as tasty.

"Are you sure Houston," she said, "They're not nearly as bad as you seem to think."

He chuckled, more than content to stick with all four members of the meat group, sprinkled with red onions and peppers on his portion.

"Rain's beginning to stop," he said, "but I gave the delivery guy a good tip for braving the weather to keep us fed."

She nodded.

"Well we need the fuel after all," she said, chewing her pizza, "We should do this often."

His brow rose.

"The pizza or…the calorie burning?"

She bit her lip.

"All of it," she said, "I've spent so much of my life wondering if it would ever be like this…between us."

He put his pizza down and reached over to kiss her and she let him, because she loved it when he did that.

"Mmm, you taste like anchovies of course and…"

She laughed and kissed him back.

"You taste like onions and peppers," she countered, "and…"

He interrupted her suddenly.

"I didn't know how long I'd been waiting until the other afternoon," he admitted, "Then it just hit me and I've been feeling it ever since but I don't know, it seems it's around longer than that."

And she knew which afternoon that had been, with a smile. She had been thinking about him a lot since then and what could be, if she were willing to let it. Still, it seemed like so much a leap for her. Still, what did he mean by longer?

He answered that unspoken question quickly enough.

"C.J…I have a confession to make…"

Her brows shot up and she put the delicious pizza aside, looking at him.

"What do you mean?"

He paused, and his eyes changed, and what she saw there caused her eyes to sting again. She focused on him as he began talking, his cheeks turning a charming shade of pink. Oh this was going to be good.

"I…thought about this many times before…including when we took the plane to the Bahamas."

Only they had never made it there, because one moment they had been talking, the next, they had been unconscious until they had woken up sitting in a jeep, his arm wrapped around her staring into a machine gun pointed at them.

"You mean…"

He nodded.

"I was thinking about how to tell you what had changed…but I didn't have the chance."

She understood that because she had been there too but why hadn't he told her since, beginning after they had escaped from Marquis?

"Yeah I know…but why didn't you ever say anything?"

"Because…I realized when Marquis had you tied up in front of his men who were going to kill you if I didn't cooperate, how much I stood to lose...and that scared the hell out of me."

She thought about that for a long moment, because she knew that even as she had been tied up and with guns pointing at her ready to take her out upon Marquis' command, she had been thinking the same thing about him. And when Marquis had pulled out a handgun to aim at Matt, she had believed in a flash that it had been to kill him. The fear and sadness that filled her...overwhelming even as she tried to focus on giving him whatever strength she had to not weaken in the face of Marquis.

"So you didn't want to take that risk again, to want something so much to where it makes you vulnerable," she said, quietly.

He looked up at her and then slowly nodded.

"I'm sorry about that."

She shot him a sharp look.

"Whatever for," she said, "I'm not going to judge you for that because look how I've been acting…"

He sighed.

"But you're just trying to protect yourself and based on my history…I can't say I blame you for that."

She shrugged.

"But it's silly to do that because it's difficult to lose someone and to even think about it, but to not have that stake in them to begin with, to share that much, that's a greater loss."

He looked at her, his eyes showing so much.

"Besides," she continued, "I've got my own history too…I've done things well…I can't judge you Houston and I don't want to, not now. I'd rather spend my time doing...other things."

He smiled broadly at that and reached for her, She fell into his embrace clearly belonging there, as he hugged her tightly. She rested her head against him, thinking that yes, life was filled with risks but it also included its great rewards including the man she held in her arms, not wanting to let him go.

Outside their window, the rain continued to fall but a patch of moonlight shone through a break in the clouds as night came to the ranch.


	38. Chapter 38

I'm done with another installment of this FF story. Thanks for reading and for the feedback!

* * *

The sun shone brightly the next morning and Matt declared that he had fully recovered from his run in with the poisonous spider.

"I'm not spending another quiet day C.J.," he said, as he got out of bed to pick up his clothes.

She smiled at him.

"No one said you had to Houston," she said, "In fact if you want to work hard today, feel free to knock yourself out because I'm going to the lake and enjoy myself."

He arched his brow.

"What are you going to do there," he asked.

She grabbed her robe and went to take a shower leaving him to answer his own question. He watched her go, smiling to himself as she turned to look at him again, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"I'm going fishing."

"you're what?"

"Fishing Houston," she said, "You know where you bait a hook and stick it in a body of water hoping to feed some hungry fish…"

He smiled.

"I wouldn't think you would need bait to catch anything."

She just laughed heading to get ready.

Matt went to the guest bedroom to get ready for what looked like another beautiful morning. He showered and got ready, and then his cell phone rang.

"Hello Hoyt."

"Houston, how is life treating you on the ranch?"

Matt smiled to himself again.

"Life's been great," he said, "C.J.'s been busy fixing it up and it's looking really nice."

Hoyt chuckled.

"You been helping her," he asked.

Matt ran his hand through his hair.

"As a matter of fact, we've both been very busy," he said, "She finished renovating the old stable and I repaired the dock in the lake for the sailboat and we've had a lot of…work to do."

"I see…"

And Matt wondered if Hoyt did see but his friend's voice as usual betrayed nothing. It was the LAPD cop in him.

"When are you coming back Houston?"

"Not until Marquis is caught and back in prison where he belongs," he said, "I'm out here to make sure he doesn't get to C.J. like he did last time."

"A pretty tall order to watch a beautiful woman like that who happens to be your best friend."

Damn, maybe Hoyt did know, but Matt figured he was just being conversational. But Matt still thought of thewoman who spent last night in his arms even after the rain had ended, the one who had woken up with her arms around his waist and her head curled against his back as if she belonged there

He cleared his throat eager to get business behind him so he could focus on other more important things like the idea that C.J. had in her to head off to the lake to do some fishing.

"So any sign of Marquis," he asked.

Hoyt sighed.

"Nothing," he said, "But ICE says he never left the country which means he's hiding someplace within it, probably some place close and no one knows if he's alone or if he recruited some more followers."

Matt guessed that either could be the case. Marquis could prove to be just as ruthless solo as he did leading a terrorist cell and he was charismatic enough to attract a new crew to carry out his bidding. And it was highly likely that when he came calling, it wouldn't be in a way Matt would anticipate or expect, which scared him. Not for himself but for C.J. as he had no desire to relive their last confrontation with Marquis and he suspected neither did she.

He frowned as he remembered how little C.J. had talked about the days she had spent alone with Marquis and his terrorists while Matt had been carrying out Marquis' instructions nearly to the letter thousands of miles in L.A. Back then, he had no idea where C.J. was being held which was the leverage that Marquis used against him to ensure his cooperation in the plan to spring his assassin son. When the two of them had flown back to L.A. in the Lear jet with Vince, the conversation had focused mostly on the actions that the two men took to spring her from Marquis' custody and bring the terrorist operation down. After Vince had put two and two together after taking a swing at Matt and confronted Matt for the truth, which he got after Matt had tried not to tell him. People were watching him, he told Vince before the truth spilled out of him in a rush.

But the two of them together had turned the tables on Marquis not long before the case which had essentially brought Vince's career with the LAPD to an end. Matt finished dressing and went to the kitchen where he saw C.J. scrambling some eggs.

"Do you want company today," he asked and she nodded.

"I'm leaving after I pack some lunch," she said, "Bo dropped off some bait and the fishing equipment's in the barn."

He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist kissing the back of her neck. She smiled and turned to look at him.

"I'm betting that it will be another case of me out fishing you once again," she said happily scooping some eggs on two plates while Matt went to get to butter the bread which popped up out of the toaster.

"We'll have to see about that," Matt said, handing her some toast as they went to the breakfast table.

She waved her finger at him.

"But Houston I'm really serious about fishing," she said, "So there will be no fooling around…at least until we fulfill our quota of fish for dinner tonight."

That brow of his went up again.

"I promise," he said, meaning anything but on such a beautiful day.

She smiled up at him as they dug into their food, reading enough in his voice to know she would have to keep her eye on him.

"I 'm sure you do," she said, "But I'm looking forward to a day of relaxation after all this work and a fish fry to end the day just sounds perfect."

"It does," Matt agreed, "and so does some relaxation afterward."

She shrugged.

"I'm feeling pretty relaxed now."

"So am I," Matt said, "But then I forgot to be relaxed until I came here."

She looked at him closely.

"You don't miss your work," she said, "Your caseload. The office, life in the big city?"

He shook his head.

"What and give up all this," he said, "beauty as far the eye can see and a woman still more beautiful."

She gave him the smile that he loved but then she rested her chin on her hand and looked at him.

"You're not falling behind by staying here," she said, "Soon you'll have to go back and return to your active life."

"Not for a while," he said, "and I'm not leaving what I found here behind."

"Houston…"

He caught the emotions churning on her face.

"I mean it C.J.," he said, "I'm not going to return to L.A. and pretend this never happened."

She sighed.

"I'm not asking you to do that," she said, "I just don't think we should jump into something we're not ready for yet."

He looked at her.

"I think it's a little too late for that," he said, "because I was minding my own business taking shelter at this stable during a rainstorm and this gorgeous woman who took my breath away…well she seduced me…"

She laughed.

"Oh I seduced you," she said, "What about the orchard?"

"That was me," he admitted, "but how could I pass that up after the way those eyes of yours looked at me as if…"

Her face flushed.

"Houston…okay you win…I did think about you that way…"

"I think we both won," he said, "at least it feels that way to me."

And she couldn't disagree not when he put it that way.

* * *

They rode their horses to the lake and walked down to its edge. Matt found a grassy bank that included a patch of shade beneath a couple of trees that blocked as much of the sun's heat as anything could on this corner of the ranch. They baited their poles and cast their lines but seemed content to just sprawl on the grass waiting for the fish to bite rather than seeking them out.

"I'm just too lazy to move," C.J. said, chuckling as she set up her pole, the line taunt up to the point it sliced through the still water.

He sat down beside her and handed her a soda.

"It's not as hot today," he said, "but it's still plenty hot."

She sipped the cola thoughtfully watching him do the same out of the corner of her eye. He seemed plenty happy to be sitting with her looking out at the lake.

"It's nice days like this where I don't even miss the city," he said thoughtfully.

She turned her head to look at him.

"You don't," she said, "Even that exciting career and nightlife that you have waiting there?"

"Not compared to what I have here," he said, "The lake looks beautiful today."

Yes it did, C.J. thought and the warmth of the sun filtered by the branches of the trees felt welcoming rather than oppressive. Matt sat next to her as they waited in hopes that the fish were biting.

"I miss the city sometimes," she admitted, "but not as much as I thought I would."

He looked at her.

"I thought you loved working in the agency," he said, remembering the years they had spent solving cases and helping people since they started the firm almost as a hobby.

She didn't look at him.

"I do Houston," she said, "But lately…well you seem to have it all taken care of…with Zach working with you."

"I fired him before I came here."

She nodded.

"I didn't really want to be around him Houston," she said, "I know you two were close friends and you served together but every time I looked at him, I thought about when he left me."

He heard the subtle change in her inflection and he knew that Zach's actions had hurt her back then when she had been younger and had thought she loved him.

"I'm sorry I didn't do it sooner," he said, "If I had known about what he had done…"

She rested her hand on his shoulder.

"You didn't know because I never told you," she said, "I guess a part of me was just embarrassed…"

He studied her.

"Why?"

She bit her lip before answering.

"Because it's stupid of me to have just jumped into bed with him and then think I'd gotten pregnant," she said, "which wouldn't have been an issue if I'd been more responsible."

"What about him," Matt countered, "He didn't appear to be interested in being responsible."

She sighed, looking at a bird flying low over the lake, its wings barely touching the surface.

"I learned from it Houston," she said, "about what I wanted to bring into my relationships and what I wanted out of them."

"What do you want now," he asked her.

She hadn't exactly seen that question coming but the look in his eyes, she knew he needed an answer.

"I want what's in front of me…my life on the ranch, my work and this really great looking cowboy sitting next to me."

He inched closer so their shoulders brushed and inspected his fishing line. She gazed at him sideways.

"So what do you want," she asked him back.

He winked at her.

"To catch some fish."

She rolled her eyes at him and that's when he kissed her.

* * *

They rode on back to the ranch, having caught three fishes a piece which meant that their challenge had finished with a draw.

"You think Bo and Lamar will clean them for us," she asked.

He pulled his rein in and looked over at her.

"Maybe if we allow them first pick of which to eat," he said.

"Which will be mine of course," she added, "given that they are larger and heftier than yours."

He snorted.

"They are not C.J.," he said, "Yours just looked that way with the lighting."

She threw him a big grin.

"Hey I told you I was better at it," she said, "and I am despite your underhanded attempts to distract me."

He grew quiet.

"Oh…that…"

"Yes…that," she said, "It's underhanded of you to decide to make out during a serious fishing competition."

He chuckled.

"I didn't see or hear you complaining about it," he said, "In fact you seemed to be encouraging this…distraction."

The barn came into view as they rode through the last row of trees. Bo and Lamar were standing across from each other with their hands on their hips. Matt looked at C.J.

"I wonder what they're fighting over this time."

C.J. didn't have a clue as they dismounted from their horses and went to take them into the barn.

"What's up you two," Matt asked.

Bo and Lamar looked at each other then at both of them.

"Bo thought I shouldn't say anything about this…to worry you…," Lamar started.

Matt felt his body tighten at those words.

"Worry about what," he said, "What's going on?"

Bo paused.

"Slade drove by and said that someone's been hitting the ranches and asking about you and C.J."

Matt looked at C.J. and she shrugged.

"Well Bo listen, he told us that's been going on already," he said, "It must have something to do with what we've been doing to help the ranchers with the bank."

Bo shook his head.

"I'm not so sure about that," he said, "This guy said he had done business with both of you in the past."

Now Matt felt a bit confused.

"Did he say what kind of business," he said, thinking it a bit odd that someone would be asking around out here rather than in L.A.

Bo shook his head.

"Slade didn't mention that part," he said, "but this guy said he owed you one and would get in touch with you."

Matt and C.J. looked at each other.

"Houston, do you know anything about this," she asked him as she caught something on his face.

Matt had already started thinking about something else, about the man who had escaped from prison and might be bent on repaying Matt's betrayal of him through an act of revenge. But he kept his suspicions to himself, reminding himself that he hadn't even told C.J. that Marquis had escaped.

* * *

They left the two ranch hands and after rubbing down the horses and putting them into their stalls, he grabbed her hand in his own and they walked to the ranch house. Before walking inside, she stopped to check the mail and among some bills and junk mail, she saw an envelope.

"What is it," Matt said, noting that there was no return address.

C.J. looked for anything familiar but it was just a generic business envelope with her name typed on it.

"I don't know…," she said as she started to open it.


	39. Chapter 39

The latest installment is up. Thanks for reading and for your feedback!

* * *

C.J. opened up the enveloped and pulled out the folded piece of stationary inside. She opened up that and her eyes widened as she read the text.

_You didn't tell him about us did you?_

Matt saw the expression on her face.

"C.J. what is it," he asked.

She hesitated, her mind working, trying to make sense of the words in front of hers and then she quickly folded up the stationary and put it back in the envelope.

"Oh…it's nothing," she said, "Just a note."

Matt raised his brows.

"Obviously," he said, "Who sent it?"

She frowned.

"It didn't say," she said.

"Well what did it say?"

Matt saw the uncertainty pass through her face when she looked up at him.

"Not…much…"

He didn't know why her words evaded his questions. But being an experienced investigator and interrogator, he knew when to push for answers and when to wait and bide his time until the person weakened and became ready to talk. But wait a minute, this wasn't a client or a suspect or a serial killer, this was his best friend, someone he had known most of his life, someone now hiding something from him. But then who was he to talk? He still hadn't told her about Marquis' escape and his reasons seem to make less sense now. The terrorist had exploited his feelings for C.J. before Matt even realized the depth of them himself which reminded him how careful he had to be while the man still ran around loose.

"C.J…what is going on here?"

He kept his voice gentle and his impatience parked at the curb.

"Houston…it's nothing, okay?"

"But…"

She smiled at him and tucked the envelope away.

"Let's go fry ourselves some fish," she said.

He seemed content to do just that but C.J. didn't rest easy because she knew him well enough to know that he might put a topic of conversation away for a while but it could come back at any time. Her own mind still processed the note, at first believing that it might be Zach. Perhaps he was reacting because Matt had fired him after finding out about Zach's actions towards her years ago. But why…no her own deductive skills kicked into gear…he wouldn't come out here to drop off a note all the way from L.A.

But then if he didn't leave it, who did? And then she remembered the mysterious emails she had been receiving. The ones which read like they were written and sent by Marquis, mentioning things that he had told her with no witnesses around him including... But wait a minute, it couldn't be him at least not directly because he sat in some prison languishing while serving out several life sentences. Unless he hired someone from behind bars to send out these messages to her but if so, why? Why was he trying to contact her now? It made no sense at all.

* * *

She went into the kitchen to prepare the fishes for dinner after Matt had gone back to the guesthouse to get his things. Maybe she should tell him when he returned…but no she couldn't. Why worry him when most likely it was some anonymous individual responsible, who might be doing it for kicks even if the person getting off on it was behind bars.

Lulu walked in the kitchen.

"Bo sent me in here to help you with something," she said.

C.J. smiled.

"It's to clean and scale the fish," she said, "Have you ever done it?"

The teenager shrugged.

"A couple of times," she said, "No big deal."

"I'll help you," C.J. offered.

The two of them performed the very messy but necessary task. C.J. noticed Lulu looking at her sideways.

"Anything wrong," she asked.

Lulu shook her head.

"Something's on your mind," C.J. noted, "and you can tell me if you feel like it."

Lulu paused.

"Are you…and he…"

"What," C.J., "Oh you mean Houston and me."

"Are you…together?"

Damn the girl was sharp, C.J. thought.

"We've always been…best friends," C.J. said carefully.

The teenager skillfully deboned one fish and C.J. handed her another.

"Do best friends always kiss each other like that," Lulu asked.

Her words caught C.J. off guard.

"Like what?"

Lulu shrugged.

"I saw you in the barn liplocked," she said.

C.J. tried to remember back to when that would be but realized that she and Matt hadn't been as alone as they had believed, not that they would have noticed anyway.

"Oh…"

"You just seemed really into each other," Lulu said, "like you thought each other were totally hot."

One way to put it, C.J. thought.

"So how long have you been shacking up together," Lulu continued.

C.J. folded her arms.

"Lulu, that's our business and not yours," she said.

The girl threw up her hands.

"Okay I get it," she said, "But if you want to keep it so secret, you probably shouldn't make out in public."

C.J. thought the teenager had a point but when she was in the same vicinity with him these days, she just couldn't help herself.

"Okay…point taken," C.J. said, "and I'm sorry if I sounded harsh Lulu but when you're in a relationship, you'll understand that it's very personal between you and the other person."

Lulu nodded.

"When you…you're using something right," she said, "Because you can't depend on the guy you know…"

C.J. just put her hand over her face, rubbing her eyes, deciding that the day had just gotten a lot longer.

* * *

Matt and her settled together on her deck eating the fish that they had prepared with a little wine. He had eschewed his usual beer and they had spent the evening relaxing and listening to the sounds around them, sitting on a lounge chair, their shoulders brushing.

The silence between them felt comfortable as they focused on settling in the quiet of their rural surroundings, neither of them missing the frantic pace of L.A. at the moment. But Matt definitely had something on his mind that had been nagging him for a while.

"C.J. what's that note about," he broached.

She sighed and sipped her wine.

"I told you it was nothing," she said, "just a note."

"You didn't tell me anything about it," he countered, "In fact, you changed the subject pretty quickly."

"It's none of your business," she said, "It's been a long day…"

Matt looked over at her, after putting his plate down on the table.

"We spent it relaxing at the lake and fishing," he said, "and we're relaxing now."

She couldn't argue with that but she didn't' like where this conversation was heading.

"Just drop it Houston," she said, "You don't tell me everything in your life."

He knew that was true, after all he had yet to tell her about Marquis escaping from prison but he had taken the steps to protect himself and his family including her. After all, he had a security force working perimeter around the ranch. Then again, he remembered that when C.J. had bumped into some of those men, he had lied about why they were here.

"Maybe not C.J. but you've been carrying that note around with you since you got it," he said, "What's in it that has you worked up?"

Her eyes flashed back at him.

"I'm not worked up," she said, "I've just been busy working the past month and helping the ranchers and maybe it's catching up with me."

"You enjoy what you're doing and you look happier than I've seen you in a while," he said, "but you're looking like something's bothering you. Ever since we've…"

She shook her head and reached out to rest her hand on his shoulder.

"It's got nothing to do with you…or us," she said, "I don't want you to think that. It's just…water under the bridge."

His brows shot up.

"So there's more to this than you've told me," he said, "So what's the big secret?"

She felt irritation fill her when she didn't want it to…not right now when they were sitting together, enjoying each other's company.

"I don't want to talk about it…"

He caught something in his voice like he had been trained to do, to detect a shift in voice inflection and body language. She tried to smile over what he had seen on her face.

"Talk about what?"

She moved away from him, almost inperceptively but enough for Matt to know that she had erected a wall between them. And she had grown silent next to him.

"You can tell me anything, you know that," he said.

And she did but this time…she didn't know how to put it into words. But when she saw the expression in his eyes, she knew she had to try.

"I've been…"

Suddenly they heard footsteps and Bo had come running in the room.

"What's wrong," Matt said.

Bo just looke too excited to speak.

"Just spill it out…"

The ranch hand looked from one to the other.

"Lamar saw someone in the barn again," he said.

Matt looked at C.J. and both of them stood up to follow Bo.

"We'd better go check it out," Matt said, "though hopefully it's nothing."

* * *

But as the three of them reached the corral, they saw that Lamar had lassoed a young man dressed in black and had him on the ground all tied up.

"Lamar what's going on here," Matt said, looking at the guy down on the ground who he recognized as one of his security men.

Lamar just looked at him.

"I caught myself a prowler in the barn," he said.

Matt was more dismayed to see the security man who had been assigned as protection lying on the ground all trussed up.

"I think he was trying to steal Bo's pig," Lamar guessed.

Bo looked surprised.

"You mean Beulah," he said, "She wouldn't stand for that."

Matt just looked at the guy, then made a decision.

"Lamar help him get up," he said, "and untie him."

Both ranch hands looked at him, shocked but then so did C.J.

"Houston, what's going on here," she said, folding her arms, "and I want the whole story because I feel one coming."

Matt looked at her and then tried to find the words to say in the right order. C.J. just waited, standing there next to him.

"He's not a prowler," Matt started, "He's Dustin, one of my security men."

Now C.J.'s complete attention was focused on him and he felt the intensity of her scrutiny.

"And what is he doing on my ranch," she asked.

Matt paused.

"I hired him…and some others to do surveillance on your ranch to keep you safe," he continued.

So did she with her questions.

"Safe from what?"

Now came the really hard part, Matt thought.

"Marquis Duval, Sr. escaped from prison a little more than a week ago," Matt said.

He waited for C.J. to say something, even if it were out of anger or shock but she just stared at him.

"C.J. I know I should have told you…"

She nodded and he saw her collecting herself.

"Yes you should have Houston," she said, "I had a right to know that he was running around out there."

He sighed.

"Every law enforcement agency is out looking for him," Matt said, "They're going to catch him before he tries anything."

She looked away from him for a long moment and when she faced him, he saw that not telling her had definitely not been the right decision.

"I'm sure they will try Houston," she said, "but why bring these men here?"

"C.J. he used you to get to me once," Matt said, "I wasn't about to let him try again."

She ran her hand through her hair.

"What about Roy and Will?"

"They're safe and in a safe place," he said, "and enjoying their time together."

She nodded at that, knowing that the father and son had so much to make up for having been separated for over a decade. But as for Matt…and he saw the wariness in her eyes and knew what would come next.

"Houston… did you come to visit me because of Marquis," she asked slowly.

He just looked back at her.

"I wanted you to be safe…"

Not the right answer, he realized once it passed his lips.

"So you didn't come out here to see me," she said, "What have we just been doing these past several days?"

He saw the pain flash in her eyes and wanted to reach for her but wisdom told him to remain where he stood.

"C.J. you know the answer to that…"

She reacted by stepping backward.

"Do I," she said, "Here I thought that you really felt something…that we shared something special…but you got me into your bed and you never told me."

"C.J. that's not fair…"

She spun on that quickly.

"Not fair," she said, "Houston you lied to me…those men…they weren't lost or coming to meetings…they worked for you, didn't they?"

He could only nod.

"I just wanted to protect you," he said," to keep you save."

"By treating me like a child," she said, "By keeping me in the dark about a man like Marquis? After what he did?"

"I'm sorry that I didn't tell you," he said, "but I'm not sorry for the last few days that we spent together."

She just backed away and when she had gotten far enough, she started to walk away. He followed he and this time he took hold of her arm.

"C.J…"

She shook him off of her and just kept walking, leaving him in her wake at a total loss of what to do next.


	40. Chapter 40

Here's the latest chapter. Sorry it took so long, busy busy busy. I hope you like it, thanks for reading and the feedback!

* * *

C.J. sat in the hot tub later, taking a soak, and sipping a couple of glasses of wine tonight. Her argument with Matt had left her feeling as if the rug had been pulled out from her. First she had learned in a roundabout way that Marquis the man who had held her captive, who had threatened to kill her if Matt didn't spring his son, had escaped from prison. She realized now that he had perfectly capable of sending her the emails this entire time and now he might have sent a letter to her house…

She sipped her wine to settle her nerves when she thought about Marquis out there possibly plotting to come after them. After all, the three of them had not parted on good terms with Marquis being shackled up and flown back to Miami to be booked and processed for a litany of crimes. In fact, he had glanced over at them and had threatened them, telling them they had better watch their backs because no prison would keep him locked up for very long. Matt and she hadn't had much time to worry about it because that episode faded away after a while like a bad dream as they settled back into their busy lives.

And they had done that grabbing the next case that came along to prove to themselves that they had moved on from that experience and had returned to what they both loved best, which was their investigative work.

But now Marquis had escaped and they had no idea where he might turn up. And Matt had hidden the news from her for how long, she wondered. If one of his security men hadn't crossed paths with Bo and Lamar, would Matt have ever told her the truth about Marquis?

She leaned back and looked up at the sky which was lit up by thousands of stars, which normally brought her peace. But now…she felt that Matt had withheld something important from her which she needed to know.

Her phone rang and she sighed, before she picked up knowing that it was probably Sheila calling for a report.

"Hi Sheila," she said, into the phone.

"Hi there, what's happening," her friend asked.

C.J. didn't know where to start.

"Everything…"

Shelia's interest perked up quickly.

"What do you mean by that," she said, "and girlfriend you better not leave anything out."

C.J. just sighed, and reached for her wine, taking a long sip before responding.

"You're still there aren't you," Shelia pressed.

"He didn't tell me something very important," C.J. said.

"Who didn't," Shelia said, "Oh you mean Houston…so what didn't he tell you?"

C.J. paused for a moment trying to gather her thoughts which were still spreading into a dozen different directions at once.

"He didn't tell me about that Marquis Duval had escaped from prison and is running around loose."

"You mean that terrorist that hijacked your plane when you were going to the Bahamas?"

"One and the same," C.J. said, "I don't know why he would keep something so important from me."

Shelia thought about it.

"Well maybe he didn't want you to worry," she said, "You know how men like him are about things like this."

C.J. reacted to that."

"Worry…I had a right to know that the man who…who kidnapped and terrorized us on his island was out there."

"Do you think he's going to come after you," Shelia said.

"I think Houston does since he's hired all this security and brought them to my ranch," C.J. said, "but Marquis is nothing if he's not crafty and he a very ruthless person. One of the worst criminals we ever crossed."

"Then you should feel much safer that Houston's gone through these steps to make sure that you stay safe," Sheila reasoned, "Hopefully they'll catch him soon before he can cause any trouble."

C.J. hoped so too, but she knew Marquis and if there's one thing he did best, it was in outwitting his pursuers and remaining at least one step ahead of them. After all, he had faked his own death and had been hiding out in an island fortress until he broke hiding to kidnap Matt and her which revealed a lot at how desperately he had needed Matt to spring his son from prison. But she had spent more time on the island with him than Matt had and during that time, she had seen how he had run the compound with an iron fist. And she had seen what he had been capable of when she had attempted to escape from him and had made it as far as the jungle before his men had caught her. After grabbing hold of her, he had threatened her with an icy tone in his voice that told C.J. that he meant what he said. That he would end her life quickly or slowly, depending on his mood. And then after…

"C.J. what are you going to do," Shelia said, breaking her reverie.

C.J. breathed out, unleashing the tension that had filled her muscles despite the relaxation of the Jacuzzi. There were just places in the past that were best left there, but with Marquis running around loose, he had invaded into their present lives.

"I…I don't know," she said, thinking quickly, "I guess we'll just have to keep an eye out for him and be prepared for just about anything."

Shelia sighed impatiently.

"I mean about Houston," she said, "How long are you going to leave him in the dog house?"

C.J. felt taken aback.

"Look, he lied to me Shelia. He didn't tell me about Marquis' escape and he didn't tell me about the security teams…and he had plenty of opportunity to do it," she said, stopping there.

All that had been true but what had really hurt her was that she had just spent the best days…and nights of her life with him and he had kept something so important from her. Just when she had begun to let her guard down…

"C.J. you've got to cut him a break here," Shelia said, "You know that he would never hurt you. He cares about you too much, more than anything. He just wanted you to be happy and he took the precautions to keep you safe."

"Shelia, I have to be able to trust the man I let into my life," she said, "And to keep something from me that's so important…I just can't reconcile that."

"So you're going to blame him for this?"

C.J. closed her eyes.

"I just need some space to think about this and what to do…"

Shelia snorted.

"What you need to do is get your ass out of the Jacuzzi and go talk to him and just put aside this nonsense between you," she advised.

"It's not that easy, Shelia."

"Of course it is," Shelia said, "You just meet in the middle and talk it out and then when that's done…you'll find there's more important things to do."

"Like what?"

"Don't play ignorant with me," Shelia said, "I mean like get it on…get yourself some because I'm sure not seeing any in a city filled with eligible men."

C.J. bit back a laugh.

"And there you are sitting in the middle of nowhere…"

"It's not in the middle of nowhere," C.J. protested, "There are other people around."

"Okay whatever," Shelia continued, "But you're out in the middle of nowhere with some people around and you've got that gorgeous cowboy who's always been crazy about you…"

"He's been too busy for that…"

"No, it just took him a while to figure it out," Shelia said, "but it's clearly taking you longer."

C.J. paused.

"Not really," she said, "I know how I feel. I know how he makes me feel…This just really threw me through a loop and I don't know how to change how I feel about it."

"I already told you and yes, you do know," Shelia said, "Now you're starting to annoy me, get out of that spa and go talk to him."

"But…"

"Do it for miss lonely heart out here in L.A. who's sitting in a corner table outside on the patio of the La Noche Bella and listening to a couple getting serenaded at the next table."

C.J. could picture her doing just that.

"What about that guy you see at the corner deli?"

Shelia sighed again.

"Married…He and his wife decided to try again…See you got the guy and you're just allowing a simple misunderstanding to get in your way"

"It's not so simple," C.J. said.

"Yes it is, now get out of here," Shelia said, "And don't call me until the two of you are back together having some fun."

C.J rolled her eyes and clicked off her phone after telling her friend, later. And then sat there in the Jacuzzi with her wine beside her, thinking about what her friend had just said. She knew that Shelia was right, in that she and Matt needed to work this out between them but she needed him to understand that she didn't need his protection. She was more than capable of taking care of herself, after all he had taught her how to win a fight if she had to protect herself. He had taken her out to the shooting range and had taught her how to fire a handgun. And the skills she had learned from him had empowered her and even saved her life on more than one occasion not to mention Matt's. Most of all, she didn't want to keep any secrets from her about any dangerous people running around bent on revenge.

She reached for her wine and took another long sip, thinking as it burned her throat about what to do next.

* * *

Matt sat on his porch, at the guest house which he had returned to figuring that at least for a while, he would be sitting in the dog house. He might do some time there, but he had no intentions of staying put there for very long. Not after the past few days that he had spent with his best friend and what they had shared together, no he would not be sitting on the sidelines with his beer and the noises of animals scurrying around in the brush keeping him company.

And he didn't really believe that she would be able to stay away from him for very long either. Not when there were more pleasant and pleasurable ways to spend their time together rather than spending their time in separate locations after their argument. Sure, he would give her some time to cool down and realize that he had just been trying to protect her while she spent her time enjoying bringing back some life to the ranch. But then soon enough, he would be presenting his very compelling case using all five of the senses and then some to convince her that the place that they belonged was sharing the same space together.

But he had seen the look of hurt on her face mixed with the anger and when she had walked away from him, something inside him had sunk as well. He knew then that he should have been up front with her from the beginning about Marquis' escape but what he hadn't done couldn't now be undone. All he could do was atone for it and try to repair the damage he had done…and keep an eye out for Marquis to strike.

A man walked up onto the porch and Matt saw that it was his previously trussed up security man, Dustin who looked more than a little embarrassed.

"Look boss, I'm sorry about what happened."

Matt looked at the man who had worked for him for years, one of the best men he had hired from another company.

"It could have happened to anyone," he said, "Just be more careful next time. Marquis much more cunning and ruthless than my ranch hands."

Dustin nodded.

"I'll do that," he said, "I'm really grateful for you for giving me this chance…"

Matt brushed it off.

"I hired you because of your skills," he said, "and because my father really respected yours."

Dustin looked out into the darkness, where shadows crept and quiet reined in between nature's noises.

"I really hope they catch him before he has a chance to come out here," he said, "But I heard how elusive he can be."

"He's going to be hard to track down and even harder to catch," Matt said, "But he's got another thing coming if he thinks about coming here."

Dustin turned to leave.

"Dustin," Matt said, "Just keep an eye out."

The younger man nodded before disappearing into the night. Matt sat back on his porch and sipped his beer, thinking about how to make things right with C.J.

* * *

After hanging up with Shelia, C.J. sipped her wine for a while longer and then decided to get out and searched around for her robe. After getting out, she slipped it on and her shoes and headed back into the house.

She walked into the kitchen to start washing the dishes from their dinner and then she remembered that before all this happened, she had been about to tell Matt something that she had kept to herself for quite a while. He had pressed her about the note that she had received and she had pushed him away, not wanting to deal with it. Matt being someone who knew her very well had asked one too many questions and if Bo hadn't come running in…

She just put that thought out of her mind and concentrated on the dishes and tried not to think about him. If she did, she would go looking for him at his guest house and if she saw him…well one thing would lead to another and they'd be back between the sheets, with a secret between them.

Only this time she would be the one keeping something from him.

She tidied up the kitchen and decided to go into the living room to listen to some music before heading off to bed…alone. Damn, the thought depressed her because she had grown used to being wrapped up in his arms, in a cocoon of security when they weren't making love, making up for all the time they had missed. Looking in her CD collection, she popped one in the stereo and some soothing rhythm and blues flowed out, leaving her feeling a bit more relaxed…but a bit more lonely.

Sitting on the couch, she listened as the music faded into the background and her thoughts began to fill her. She should go over and patch things up with him, and apologize for coming on so strong with her criticism. She should sit back and think about it some more…no why should she sit her on the couch alone when she could be back in bed with him after they cleared the air?

She had almost decided when she remembered the note…and that stopped her in her tracks. After all, she had just come down hard on him for keeping something vitally important from her and now…if she went to his guest house intent on making things right, then she had to come clean with him. She rubbed her eyes, and then picked up her cell phone to check her email, allowing the task to distract her from her indecision. And waiting at the top of the new email list was one from "Old Friend" and wariness filled her again. She almost just pressed the delete button to get rid of it, not wanting to know what lay inside it.

But something stopped her. She had to look. If it was Marquis, she might get some important clue about what his plans were…so she steeled herself and clicked it open.

This time there weren't any words. There was just a photograph which filled her with a rush of memories and left her feeling faint and having to wrap her arms around her to ground herself.

No doubt remained in her mind. Marquis was definitely coming to pay them a visit.


	41. Chapter 41

Here's the latest installment of this story. Hope you enjoy it and thanks for reading and for the feedback!

* * *

C.J. just stared at the photograph but realized quickly it wasn't going any place unless she chose to delete it off of her phone and even so…it didn't change anything.

Matt hadn't been the only one keeping a secret about Marquis.

She finally clicked off her phone and put it down, as she sat back on the couch, knowing that she couldn't go to the guest house until she thought about really coming clean with him. About more than just her feelings of anger and hurt when he had kept the news of Marquis' escape from her.

Still, how could she tell him in a way that he would understand when she still had difficulty accepting it herself? The only man she had ever told about it was now dead and had in a matter of speaking, taken what she had told him to his grave. Not that it mattered much because she really hadn't shared much in the way of details with him either.

But Matt had been different and she couldn't tell him, couldn't even approach him with the truth. Not that she hadn't considered it over the past couple of years, but each time…she had decided not to do it.

She got up and started pacing in her living room and then sat down again. Now that she knew for sure that Marquis would be showing up, she had to warn Matt about it so that he could alert his security people and the authorities. But each time she thought about doing that…she felt she moved quickly back to square one.

And that's where she left herself as she settled down into the couch with some more wine.

* * *

Matt had sat on his porch watching the night unfold around him yet he hadn't come up with any answers or ideas on how to make things right with C.J. He had hoped that she would cool off, being the spirited woman that she always had been and would come to make peace with him but as the night air began to chill and the moon to light up the sky from overhead, he realized that at least for now, that appeared less and less likely. He knew that Dustin and the others were doing their jobs and that if Marquis did appear, they would alert him but he also knew that the man would do his best to slip past his security team and he might not be attempting that alone.

Marquis had always with a lot of money and a little bit of charisma been able to attract people to his side to help him unleash his brand of terrorism on the world. And Matt had no doubt that he could put together a cell of terrorists in a short period of time, even within days of his escape from prison.

As he looked out into the quietness of the ranch which had fallen asleep around him as the hours passed, Matt knew that he should just turn in and maybe, just maybe, a good night sleep would allow him and C.J. to begin tomorrow morning with a blank slate. And maybe, just maybe they could try this again. The thought of what lay ahead made him sigh but he couldn't really blame anyone but himself. C.J. had always valued trust among other qualities and if that had been breached, she took it pretty hard. And knowing this about her, he had gone out and done it anyway. It might have been to protect her, to make her feel safe, so she could feel free to enjoy life on her ranch. And though it might sound selfish, enjoy spending time with him pushing away the boundaries of their relationship.

Picking up his empty beer bottle and heading inside to turn in, Matt knew that she might forgive him for not telling her about Marquis…eventually but he knew that had only been part of how he had hurt her feelings. The harder part had been the realization that he had let her walk away believing that the only reason he had come out to her ranch to stay with her had been to keep an eye on her until the authorities rounded up Marquis.

Nothing could be further from the truth, he thought. Okay, yes he had come out at least partly to keep her safe because she mattered too much to him to trust her security with anyone else. But that had changed the moment he had set foot on the ranch she had made her own and had realized in a split second upon watching her that there were still parts of his best friend he didn't know. How she felt wrapped up in his arms with nothing between them. Not to mention when they kissed, there was that sweetness and sass in her that he had never known in all the years that they had been friends.

But things had changed so quickly and Matt suspected that there had been more to that than just his revelation that Marquis had escaped from prison. And not just to find a way to get himself out of the doghouse but because…he just knew her.

"Houston, what's going on," a voice rang out from just off the porch.

Matt looked over and saw that Bo and Lamar had wandered on over to the guest house and they climbed up the steps to plop themselves in the nearby chairs. They looked exhausted from all the excitement that had happened earlier with the so-called prowler.

"Not much," Matt said, "I'm just sitting back a bit and enjoying the night."

Bo and Lamar looked at each other and when Bo put his hands on his hips, Matt sensed a lecture coming. He put his hand up to ward it off.

"That's all I'm willing to listen to tonight," he said, "It's been an eventful day already."

Bo had to nod at that, but his expression appeared stern. Lamar had just shaken his head and reached for a couple of cold beers from the chest, handing one to the other ranch hand.

"Now hold on Houston, I've got something to say," Bo announced, "and I have to say that I've known you an awful lot of years and…"

"I know since I was a young boy," Matt interjected, "And the two of you taught everything about ranching my father didn't have time to teach me."

"And part of that has to do with honoring the cowboy code," Lamar said, sipping his beer.

Matt blinked his eyes and then he remembered.

"Oh…that."

Bo nodded.

"You'd better believe it Houston," he said, "and after all that teaching, the kind that doesn't come from books…"

"Just that which is passed from one cowhand to another," Lamar continued, "and through brave men like Gary Cooper, John Wayne…"

"I know about all of them," Matt protested.

"And the Lone Ranger…"

Bo looked at Lamar and nodded.

"Him too…"

Matt folded his arms.

"So what you're getting at is…what is it that you're getting at?"

Bo looked at Matt directly.

"That you have to be honest…"

Matt sighed.

"I know that I should have told her about Marquis escaping…"

Lamar looked at him crossly.

"You didn't even tell us," he said, "And we're practically family…"

Matt knew that and he felt even guiltier for keeping them in the dark as well as C.J. But what had been done was done and he had to figure out how to make it right again. He had found something really special with C.J. and truth be told, he was missing that already. Still, there were a few hours left tonight to make up for that if he got moving…After all he had that way with women.

Then again, she wasn't just any woman, and he couldn't brush away her concerns like they were nothing just to get himself back in her good graces so they could pick up where they left off.

He shifted in his chair, thinking the night wasn't getting any younger and neither was he.

But if he left his house to go talk to her, what reception would he receive from her? His mind still saw the hurt in her eyes that last time mixed with that fiery anger that she had given him a look at before leaving.

"I know and I'm sorry about that," he said, "but I'm not sure that I can convince C.J. of that."

Bo looked at Lamar and Matt could have sworn he saw a glimmer of well, something bordering mischief exchanged between them. If he didn't know better…

"We're not talking about that mess you got yourself into today," Bo said, "This is about your other secret that you've been keeping."

Matt folded his arms.

"Okay what's going on here?"

They just looked back at him innocently, with Lamar taking off his worn hat and holding it in front of him where he sat for added effect.

"Either one of you going to answer?"

Bo glanced briefly at Lamar before opening his mouth.

"We know about the two of you," he said, "that you've been shacking up in the main house…"

Matt sat up straighter with his beer and was about to say something when Lamar nodded.

"Yeah, we noticed you too getting frisky with each other and it's about time," he said.

Matt just looked at the two men and then ran his hand through his hair.

"Well, we're together if that's what you mean," he said, "Or at least we were until that argument."

Both men looked incredibly impatient with him and Bo shook his head.

"Houston, you're going at this woman thing all wrong."

Now that struck Matt's curiosity.

"Wrong, what do you mean?"

Bo sighed.

"You're letting her run the show," he said, "It's the man's job to show the woman who's in charge."

Lamar looked at Bo and nodded.

"You've got to let her know who's boss."

Matt raised a brow at both of them, knowing that it would be a cold day in well someplace really hot before that happened. Even if he had the inclination to be bossy, C.J. would have none of that and would send him packing quick.

"That's not how C.J. works," he told them both, "You know she'll just slam the door on me if I do that."

Lamar shook his head.

"That's just how she wants you to think," he said, "Oh she'll act like she wants to call the shots but really, she's waiting for you to lead."

Matt looked skeptical.

"Lamar how do you know that?"

The ranch hand scratched his head.

"I've come across many an independent and spirited woman like C.J. and I've learned a few things," he said.

"Lamar, you've been married four times," Matt pointed out, "so I'll have to take your advice with a grain of salt."

Bo chuckled.

"He's got you there."

Lamar scowled and folded his arms.

"I loved them all…at the time," he said.

Bo continued chuckling and even Matt had to smile.

"I did," Lamar continued, "and at least I didn't name my pig after one of my ex's."

Bo stopped laughing and tilted his head.

"I did it as a compliment," he said, "I loved them both."

Matt held his hands up.

"Okay…look…I'm not going to take your advice," he said, "What happened between us…well that's up to C.J. and me to fix."

Lamar shook his head.

"I'm telling you Houston; it's just like with that paint filly of yours..."

"You mean Cayenne?"

Lamar nodded.

"If you give her too much rein, she's just going to run off on you," he said.

Now Matt looked at both of them directly.

"C.J. is not a horse," he said, "Besides Cayenne would throw me off if I did that with her…she's temperamental…"

Lamar harrumphed.

"My point exactly...you have to let her think she's in control."

Matt got his point, or at least he thought he did, but C.J. didn't like it when any man including him tried to push her on how to run her life. In fact, she had given him more than a couple verbally swift kicks when he had a momentary lapse and had tried to do just that.

"Look…I'm going to go over to the ranch house and talk with her," he said finally, "and the two of us are going to work it out."

Bo looked at Lamar.

"I think he's serious about doing that."

Lamar shrugged.

"I tried to give him advice," he said, "Can't make him take it. He's always been the stubborn type."

"So's C.J.," Bo noted, "This should be great to watch to see who comes out on top."

Matt put down his beer.

"There isn't going to be any watching," he said, "This is between her and me and we'll find a way to resolve it ourselves."

Having just said that, Matt walked down the steps and headed off towards the guest house with two ranch hands standing in his wake and just shaking their heads.

* * *

C.J.'s reverie was broken by a knock on the door. Who could be dropping by this time of night? And then she figured, it must be Matt coming by to speak with her. Would he be ready to apologize because truly the ball had bounced in his court. After all, he had withheld information from her…

No, she had done the same thing to him and before he apologized, she would tell him what she had kept hidden from him for far too long. She settled that and mentally prepared herself to do just that as she walked to the front door. She opened it up, the words already forming on her lips when instead of seeing Matt, she saw Slade.

"Oh it's…you."

He smiled.

"Who were you expecting?"

She remained silent for a moment.

"Someone else."

He didn't press her for more information and when she saw his face, she knew he had news.

"Has something happened with the ranchers," she asked.

He shook his head.

"Some men are out asking questions about you," Slade said, "You and Matt."

Her eyes narrowed.

"What kind of questions?"

He paused.

"How long we've known you," he continued, "Whether or not we knew you before you came out here."

C.J. frowned.

"Those are awfully strange questions," she said, "Who are these men, did they provide any identification?"

Slade shrugged.

"They said they were just conducting a consumer survey but I know they're not being upfront about their real intentions. Other people are suspicious as well."

C.J. rubbed her forehead, trying to think. Oh God, this had to have something to do with Marquis and plans for revenge against Matt and her. But wait…maybe…no why would people conducting surveys be interesting in asking such specific questions?

"They don't seem legit."

"No they don't," she agreed.

"Maybe we should tell Matt," he said, "Is he around?"

She shook her head.

"He's at the guest house most likely."

Slade looked puzzled.

"Oh I would have thought that you…he…"

"What Slade?"

He shook his head.

"Never mind…maybe you should think about going there and telling him."

C.J. hedged for a while on that knowing that she and Matt hadn't exactly parted on the best circumstances but given the circumstances of this suspicious behavior, she had to put that aside for the moment.

She looked at him and sighed.

"I guess we'd better get going then."

They left the house and she locked the door behind her and they headed off into the night across the paddock area where they bumped into Matt.

"There you are," she said, "We're looking for you."

Matt looked at the both of them and C.J. didn't miss the way that he studied Slade.

"Houston, he's here to help us," she said, "Some of the neighbors have had visits from these men who are asking a lot of questions about us."

"What kind of questions?"

"The suspicious kind."

Matt sighed.

"It's got to be Marquis then."

He sounded much calmer than she felt, C.J. thought. Slade just looked from one to the other completely lost.

"Marquis…isn't he…"

C.J. looked out into the night and then back at him.

"He's escaped from prison," she said, "Some of the men that you've seen on the ranch have been security men working for Matt."

Slade nodded, not looking as if he understood completely.

"Have you called the police?"

Matt frowned.

"They called me when he first got loose," he said, "I've been in touch with every law enforcement agency including Interpol since."

Slade nodded thoughtfully.

"Look if you need any help…"

Matt looked at him.

"We're fine," he said, "Thanks for providing this information but we'll take it from here."

C.J. looked at him, her brow raised. But Matt just focused on Slade who finally nodded and started to leave.

"Okay, but the offer still stands if you change your mind," Slade said, walking back to his car and getting inside.

Both of them watched him leave in silence for a moment. Their sideways glances at each other didn't tell them much. Finally Matt turned to look at C.J.

"Look I'm sorry about not telling you," he said, "I should have been honest like you've been with me."

Her eyes smarted when she heard him say that knowing that hadn't exactly been the truth. But right now she didn't care.

"There's nothing to be sorry about," she said, "Come here."

And she meant it then, and closed out every other thought but him. Matt didn't need a second invitation.

He moved closer to embrace her and she grabbed onto him fiercely and her lips possessed his own before he knew what hit him. Not that he cared, as he responded, their bodies molding to each other as the world began to recede around them. She broke for air and as they gazed at each other, she took his hand in her own.

"Come on, let's go inside and forget about all this for a while."

She didn't have to ask him twice.


	42. Chapter 42

Here's the latest chapter of this FF story. I hope you enjoy it, thanks for reading and for the feedback!

* * *

He pulled her into his embrace, and she didn't resist, but she smiled when he began kissing her neck.

"So you really forgive me," he asked.

She placed her hands on his where they had wrapped around her waist.

"I'm thinking about it."

"Well keep on at it, if this is how you do your thinking," he said.

She grew silent then and he drew her closer in response.

"I've been doing a lot of that lately."

"About what?"

He felt her shrug in his embrace.

"A lot of things," she said, "Getting this ranch together, helping the ranchers with the bank and if I'm ever going to figure out what to do with my life."

He caught the wistfulness mixed with resolve in her voice.

"I thought you loved what you do," he said.

She shifted in his arms to look at him.

"I do Houston," she said, "I've loved what we've built together as business partners but I needed to step back from it for a while."

"Because of Zach?"

"No…I'd moved on from him," she said, "I just wanted to be able to combine what I love about work with having something to come home to at the end of the day."

"So you are coming back to work…eventually?"

She stroked his face with her fingers.

"As soon as I finish making myself home here," she said, "You'll be welcome anytime of course."

He kissed her lips, accepting that invitation.

"You've done a great job with the ranch," he said, "but what do you think about coming home to someone?"

She smiled at that.

"I'm open to that," she said, "got anyone in mind?"

Oh he did, but he didn't say anything, not with words anyway.

* * *

She paced the bedroom which had become her cell, until Matt had returned from the mission that he had been sent on, which had been to spring and return with Marquis' murdering son. The last memory she had of him had been several days ago when he had agreed to do as Marquis had ordered after the terrorist leader had ordered his men to line up and fire their guns at her. She had struggled so hard as she stood there trying to keep the terror from showing on her face but she knew she hadn't succeeded.

After Matt had agreed to free the man he had put away several months earlier, Marquis had coldly pulled out a handgun and fired it at him after telling him, goodbye. She had first thought the gun had been a lethal weapon but its projectile had simply been a tranquilizer dart and he had slowly succumbed to its effects and then Marquis had ordered a couple of his soldiers to carry him off.

Since then, C.J. had tried hard while spending most of the day cooped up alone in her room trying not to think, to imagine where him back in L.A. trying to do the impossible by himself. Because she knew that Marquis would have men there in the background watching every move he made. She knew that Matt realized that too.

Only once, she had made a bold attempt at an escape. It had happened after two men had wrestled her from the bedroom to take her outside and given that neither soldier met her eyes, she knew it hadn't been a good sign. From the time they had arrived on the tropical island after being hijacked, C.J. didn't believe Marquis to be an honorable man. He was a hardened terrorist who had participated in armed attacks after all. She knew that even if Matt returned with Marquis' son that the father wouldn't let them go, but instead he would kill them both. And that her life in particular would be considered expendable the moment that Matt had succeeded in getting Marquis' son released from jail.

"Don't cause us any trouble," one of them had grumbled to her.

But she couldn't go peacefully as they took her towards an area behind one of the buildings in Marquis' compound and her mind began to work quickly, guessing what would be coming once they reached there. Because she knew then that Matt had been successful in his mission. She knew that he would be because of her.

"Wait…."

She looked up when she heard Marquis' voice and the soldiers who held her stopped in their tracks. Her heart still beat quickly and she tried to focus on him. He then ordered the soldiers to bring her to his study, where he spent a lot of his time playing the piano or reading, while his girlfriend if she could be called that hung around him, mere scenery until the moment he needed or wanted her. When C.J. and the soldiers approached the study, Marquis ordered the woman and the other guards to leave and then she knew what he wanted.

And she had been willing to go along with it, because she wanted to live, to somehow escape from this place and to see him again. To believe that he would remain alive long enough to escape his own captors and return for her. But in order for that to happen, she had to do her part and if that meant doing what Marquis wanted her to do in the meantime, she'd do it.

"You have one minute to change my mind…"

* * *

She knew she had what she needed inside of her to do that. She had to have that to get what she wanted, which was an extended period on her life. That's what her mind told her as she moved closer to the man that had already used her to control Matt. But her body had other plans.

At the last moment, she resisted and used the element of surprise to escape from him and the room. When she reached the hallway, she kept on running and that's when she ducked into a room to hide and discovered the armory. Without thinking about it, she began opening boxes and then, plucked a map and hid it in her clothing. She heard the guards on the other side of the door, and just as they entered, she slipped out of a window to the outside.

Running then consumed her, the instinct to put as much distance between her and Marquis as possible, slipping into the dense foliage of the tropical jungle which would surely hide her. Then she could keep a watchful eye out for Matt's return.

Of course it hadn't worked out that way. She hadn't escaped at all and she wouldn't be able to wait in the jungle for Matt.

"You didn't change my mind…"

* * *

She woke up with a start and pulled her covers closer to her. The spot next to her, empty. She looked around the sunlit room but no one waited, or stood at its doorway. Sighing, she reached for her robe and slipped it on.

"Where do you think you're going," a voice asked.

She looked up and saw Matt dressed in faded sweatpants and nothing else standing there holding a tray with plates of food and orange juice on it.

"What's that," she asked.

He placed the tray on the table next to her bed and the odors of eggs and bacon hit her pleasantly.

"What does it look like," he asked her, "Breakfast."

She smiled at him and made room for him on the bed where he joined her.

"It looks great," she said, after he handed her a plate and she dug in.

"Lamar helped," Matt said, "It was his idea to add the cayenne."

She loved those little red peppers and had made sure she kept plenty growing in her garden.

"This is great," she said, "Just what I need to jump start my day."

His lips pursed in amusement.

"Didn't we just spend most of the night doing that?"

Her cheeks flushed and damn, if he didn't want to reach out and remind her.

"I guess we did," she said, "I guess I should be tired but I'm not."

Matt started in on his bacon.

"So what's on the schedule today?"

She thought about that, after looking at him for a long moment in a way that caused him to blush.

"I know what I'd like to do…but I've got to go out and check some fencing bordering Slade's ranch and then check on the paint on the stable."

He nodded at that.

"Sounds like a full day," he said, "I guess I'd better check on a few things myself."

She sipped her juice.

"What about your men," she said, "What are you going to tell them?"

He studied her face and didn't see anger there. She had slipped into her pragmatic mode which worked much better in crisis situations but didn't allow her to see what she kept hidden inside.

"C.J…they'll be doing the job I gave them to do."

She nodded thoughtfully.

"He's really running around out there somewhere."

He reached to draw her closer after they both put their plates aside. She slipped into his embrace easily enough but kept a part of herself at a distance. He could feel that as surely as he could feel the warmth of her body against him.

"They're going to find him before he has a chance to do anything."

She sighed.

"He's been wandering around loose for nearly a week now and he's been busy…"

He frowned as something slipped across her face.

"What do you mean," he asked her.

She shook her head.

"Just that a man like him isn't going to sit around and wait for something to happen," she said, "He's out getting recruits to reactivate his old cell or…"

He knew she didn't want to say it, that Marquis could be plotting to come after them.

"Nothing's going to happen," Matt said, "and if he has any plans to come out this way, I'll stop him."

She rubbed the bridge of her nose.

"How, if you can't even see him," she said, "I know you believe you have my ranch heavily fortified with your best men but he could slip right through anything and what about Roy and…"

"They're as well guarded as we are," Matt said, "They're in a safe place spending very valuable time together."

She nodded at that, knowing that the father and the son had wanted dearly to make up for the years that they had lost together. And she felt that she and Matt were making up for some valuable time as well.

"So everything's going to be okay…"

His voice sounded confident and she believed that he meant it when he said those words but she knew Marquis as well as he did and in ways that Matt did not and she knew she could never ever underestimate him. To do so, would be a costly mistake in a world that didn't always offer second chances.

"You can't know that," she said, "You have to remember what he's capable of doing."

He heard the worry tinged in her voice.

"I don't think either of us could ever forget that…not after last time."

She felt those words in her heart and knew that if he only knew the extent of Marquis' treachery, but he had taken all the precautions that he could to protect everyone he loved. And she would have to do the same in her own way.

* * *

She rode Chelsea out to the fencing and she wondered if the trees that sprung up in groups on her ranch spread hid more than just the security men that worked for Matt. But she had to stop seeing Marquis everywhere she looked or she would drive herself crazy.

The fencing ahead of her needed mending and she went to tie up her horse, grab her tools and set to work. She saw that Slade had been aware that it needed to be fixed and had ridden out as well.

"So you think it will stay up this time," he said, as they both started working on opposite sides of it.

She ran her hand through her hair.

"I'm hoping that this will do the trick," she said, "I think we've replaced every piece of aged wood."

"And then some," he agreed.

They worked quietly for a while and as C.J. watched him, his body honed by years of playing racquet ball at the gym beginning to show new edges to it. Ranching had been good for her ex-boyfriend in more ways than one. He seemed less driven to get ahead and more content to just watch the days unfold.

"So how are you and Matt working this thing out?"

She shot a look at him from her work.

"What do you mean?"

He shot her a knowing look.

"What's going on between the two of you," he said, "I've been in the singles game a long time and I know when a man's marking his territory."

She chuckled.

"How do you know it's him that's doing it?"

He looked chagrined.

"Look I didn't mean anything," he said, "If we can't work it out between us, then I'd rather see you with someone like him."

My, that was awfully generous of him, C.J. thought but didn't say anything, focusing on the fence rather than the idea that she was something that had to belong to one man or the other.

"So is he going to be moving in or commuting from L.A.?"

She hammered in a nail.

"It's up to him," she said, "We're just taking each day as it comes but I've never been happier."

His smile dimmed a bit. She didn't have to look at him to know that.

"We were happy together."

She sighed and put the damn hammer down and then she looked at him.

"Maybe we just thought we were Slade," she said, "but there's something to be said about building a great friendship with someone first before taking it further."

"We were friends…"

She shook her head.

"No Slade, I think we were just as they call it, hot for one another and then when that faded, one of us began looking elsewhere."

She knew defensiveness would come next.

"How many times can I tell you that I'm sorry for what I did," he said, "I slipped, what can I say?"

Which time had been that, C.J. wondered, which woman had he "slipped" with and which ones had been more deliberate decisions on his part?

"More than once, if that's how you want to call it."

He paused, unable to deny that.

"It doesn't matter how many times it happened Slade," she said, "You made that choice every time between those women and what we shared together."

He sighed.

"Haven't you ever done anything that you regret," he said, "That would hurt someone if they found out about it?"

She didn't know what to say to that.

* * *

Matt picked up his cell phone at the dock. He didn't need to check it to know it was Hoyt calling to update him on Marquis.

"So what's up Hoyt," Matt asked, "Anyone caught up to Marquis yet?"

"Nada, but his financial trail is growing stronger," Hoyt said, "He's definitely going to reorganize at some point and he might already be recruiting."

Matt looked out at the lake, the birds soaring across it. He had plans to haul his sailboat over to attach to the dock when it was finished. Hoyt continued feeding him details but there still remained nothing concrete on Marquis' whereabouts which is what interested Matt. How close Marquis had gotten to the people he cared about and what his ultimate plans were because he had the feeling that Marquis had unfinished business with Matt before returning to his life as a terrorist and eluding authorities once again.

"He's got plans Hoyt," Matt said, "I'm sure of it and I'm sure I'll be bumping into him sooner than later."

Hoyt sighed on the other end.

"I hope you're wrong but you know this man and what he's capable of more than anyone and certainly more than me."

Matt knew that Hoyt had little experience in dealing with terrorists from outside the country but he had filled him in on Marquis exploits including those involving C.J. and him not long after the two men met.

"How's C.J. doing?"

Matt smiled on his end.

"She's doing just fine," he said, "She's been very busy fixing up my ranch and doing…other things."

"She's helping those ranchers still?"

"It's been a little quiet on that end lately," Matt said, "but she's been working with them. They wrote some letters to the bank and are waiting to hear back."

Hoyt paused a moment.

"We miss her out in L.A.," he said, "Is she planning on remaining a stranger?"

"I don't know Hoyt," Matt said, "She's fallen in love with my spread here and I can tell you from experience, that's a very formidable thing."

"What about you," Hoyt said, "You regret selling it?"

Matt had given that some thought but no, he had no qualms about his actions.

"Not after I realized who bought it."

"I'm looking forward to her barbecue…when this is all over with Marquis."

"She's been looking forward to having you all out here," Matt said, "That's why she's been working so hard to whip the ranch into shape."

"She keeping its former owner in line too?"

Matt didn't know where that question had come from, unless Hoyt had proven to be as astute as his ranch hands had proven to be about him.

"She's keeping me on my toes," he said, "I'm out putting the final touches on the dock so I can move the boat here."

After that, he knew that he wouldn't rest until he had lured her onto the boat to sail with him across the lake to that diner that they both loved. He knew it wouldn't take much persuasion on his part.

"That sounds like you've been kept pretty busy," Hoyt said.

Matt swore he could hear a trace of amusement in the cop's voice.

"I've always had a great work ethic."

"Yes you have," Hoyt said and now Matt knew his friend was struggling to keep a straight face.

"Anything else," Matt asked, "because boss lady's expecting this dock to be finished today."

Hoyt chuckled then.

"No, but if I hear anything I'll get back to you," he said, "Have a nice day and tell C.J. I sent her my best wishes."

"Will do."

Matt clicked off his phone and shook his head, absolutely sure that Hoyt had figured out that he and C.J. hadn't just been working together. He wondered to himself just what it had been that everyone had been picking up on involving the two of them. They had been discreet after all, not wanting to let everyone in on what had changed between them while they navigated through the early steps of their burgeoning relationship.

He shook his head as he returned to work, counting the minutes until he could see her again. And as always keeping a sharp eye for the return of Marquis.

* * *

After she and Slade had finished repairing the fence, he had ridden back to his ranch house and she had headed towards the stable. As she approached, she had marveled at its improved appearance after the final layer of paint had been applied. She dismounted and tied up Chelsea and walked inside the stable, inspecting the stalls and the food storage area, her nose picking up the odor of fresh paint which still permeated the structure. She walked into the tack room and sat at the chair near the desk, next to some empty boxes which she had gotten to use to store the contents of the desk.

She set to work on that, moving through each drawer which had been filled mostly with documents and letters that had been written by Matt's father and his uncle Roy while they had been serving in various wars. Letters between Matt's father and his mother, sent during the spans of time they had spent apart, first divided by war and then by the business trips that Bill had taken during the years he spent building his empire. Soon enough, she had filled two boxes which she would later move to store in the attic in the ranch house if it was okay with Matt.

The room grew warm and she had gotten up to open the windows to allow some air to circulate inside it. She grabbed her water bottle and sat at the desk, sipping it. Her thoughts turned to everything that had been happening in the past week. She and Matt trying to find their way together in the midst of her work on the ranch and Marquis' escape from prison. Impulsively she reached for her cell phone to check it to see if any more emails had appeared since she had received the photograph. She sighed in relief when she realized that no more had arrived in her inbox. Not that this didn't mean that Marquis wasn't out there planning his next move.

And Matt had surrounded the people with security men when he had found out about Marquis' escape but she knew that would never be enough because Marquis most definitely wanted a piece of Matt and her as well. The emails had made that clear but she still hadn't even told him. And now that she knew she must, she didn't look forward to it but she had to tell him. And not just about the emails but about everything. Inside her, she felt the resolve but also the fear that what she told him might change everything. But she would do it today.

Which is why she had left a note in his saddlebag for him to meet her here.


	43. Chapter 43

The latest chapter of this story is up. Thanks for reading, hope you enjoy and thanks for the feedback!

* * *

She felt too restless to sit waiting for him so she returned to looking through the papers and photographs stored in the old desk, just to keep her occupied until he arrived at the stable. Sitting on the floor, she pulled the bottom drawer completely out, placing it in front of her and close to the boxes that she had brought over to store the contents. The papers looked worn and faded, tinged with yellow so she knew they had been stashed away for a long time. She deftly pulled them out and straightened them out including their edges and placed them neatly in a box, planning to place the photographs on top. Then she would replace the drawer back from where it came from in the desk, but as she prepared to do that, she noticed a piece of thicker paper which rested where the drawer had been and she picked it up to add to the box.

But after glimpsing at it, something made her decide to open it and she did so gently as not to tear the old envelope that had been stained long ago by some liquid, coffee perhaps. As if someone had rested the mug on top of the edge of the envelope while examining what had been inside it. She unfolded the tripartite paper and her eyes widened as she saw what had been written on it, not to mention the stamped notations.

She was looking at a birth certificate that had a very familiar name at the top of it. That of her best friend who she had grown up with and she saw the name of the mother that he had barely known in the proper place and so she looked for the name of the man whose last name he shared, his father and that's what shocked her. Instead of the name of the man she had grown up knowing as her friend's daddy, she saw another man's name instead.

And thinking back to another time, she recognized that man's name too. It had been that of a wildcatter who had helped Matt during a time when his family's deepest enemies had plotted against him and his father. This man had helped him uncover the truth and then had died, saving Matt. But why did he now appear on this strange copy of Matt's birth certificate that had been filled out long ago? She searched the envelope again and gingerly pulled out a very thin sheet of folded paper with handwriting on it that looked like a letter.

What the hell had she just discovered? Did this mean that the father who had raised Matt all his life hadn't been a blood relative after all, and was the man who saved his life his biological father instead? She reeled as she put everything back in the envelope and set it down. What did this all mean, and then she wondered, did Matt know?

He had never said anything about it to her and he rarely kept secrets but perhaps he didn't believe that the decision of what to do with this one involving his parentage rested just with him. After all, he had his father who had raised him to consider and what his knowledge of the truth would do to him. Had Bill even known before he died that Matt had discovered the truth?

So many questions filled her mind and the answers didn't really belong to her. But to him.

* * *

Matt finished his job with the dock and declared it strong enough for mooring boats. Before long, if C.J. wanted, he would haul his sail boat out here so that they could take it on the lake if they felt like it. The heat had been hitting him hard and he had spent the latter hour wiping the sweat off of his face and the back of his neck. He went to his saddlebag to get some refreshment and that's when he found the note. Opening it up, he smiled as he read it.

He decided he was done with his work for the day as he got on his horse and rode out toward the stable.

She sat on the cot awaiting his arrival and she could hear his boot clicking down the hallway towards the office.

"Took you long enough," she said, with a smile.

He grabbed hold of her when she walked to meet him and swung her in for a kiss.

"The dock's ready for the sailboat."

She looked into his eyes.

"I can see you've been busy then.

Matt looked around the office and saw the boxes on the floor, some empty and some stacked with papers and other items.

"So have you."

She looked at him then and remembered why she had written the note for him to meet her, knowing that if she hadn't put it on paper, she didn't know if she could have told him what she had kept hidden. Only now she had uncovered a secret of her own that he had kept for several years.

She looked down at her boots, her hands in her pocket.

"I brought you here to tell you something…"

He followed the expression on her face as it changed and he grabbed hold of her upper arms to get a better look.

"I figured that," he said quietly, "Whatever it is, you know you can tell me."

She just smiled and took his hand and they sat together on the cot, which creaked beneath their weight.

"I was going to do that, really," she said, "Until I found something while I cleaned out the drawers."

He looked at her puzzled and she just handed him the worn envelope. Looking it over first, he pulled the contents out and looked at him. And she watched his eyes widen as hers had done but he quickly looked back at her.

"My birth certificate," he said, "The real one."

She nodded, though she didn't fully understand. But she reached for his hand and took it in both of hers, rubbing it. Letting her know she was right there if he needed her.

"That man Virgil Wade was your father."

He nodded.

"Actually his name was Wade Matlock," he said, "but I didn't know that until later on."

Her brow furrowed.

"He came back to help you didn't he," she said, "When you were having problems with Elgin Cody."

Matt rubbed the bridge of his nose with his other hand.

"I didn't know the truth until not long before he died," he said, "That my mother who died at childbirth had been his wife and that he had been so wrought with grief; he couldn't take care of his son."

C.J. felt her eyes sting.

"So he gave you to Bill then," she said, "so he could raise you as his son."

Matt nodded.

"I was angry with him when he told me the truth," he said, "I guess I had all the questions any child would have in that situation but it wasn't the right time to address them because of the circumstances that brought him back."

"Elgin didn't give you that time."

Matt paused for a moment.

"No he didn't," he said, "And then he killed my father when he shot at me."

C.J. had remembered that moment but hadn't known the significance of the scene which had greeted her when she arrived and there had been shots fired and a man had been gravely wounded. Leaving her with the task of telling Matt to spend time with him before he died.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know."

He looked at her then.

"You didn't know because I never told you," he said, "I couldn't…it wasn't…"

"It wasn't your secret to tell…I know Houston…you didn't want to hurt your father."

Matt looked away for a moment.

"I don't know what my knowledge of the truth would have done to my daddy," he said, "and his health you know wasn't very good."

C.J. guessed that Bill had passed on a while back never knowing that his son had learned the truth that had been kept hidden from him by two men out of love for him.

"I grew up believing I was born and raised a Houston," he said, "It took a while for me to accept that I was one in name only."

She shook her head at that.

"That's not true."

The absoluteness of her words drew his attention to her face.

"You were and you always have been Bill Houston's son," she said, "He took you into his home, he raised you to be the man that you are and he loved you. Just like we all do Houston."

He digested her words and there wasn't much to say about them because they made sense. And he had waited his whole life to hear them and not even knowing it.

"I guess I was lucky to have two fathers," he said finally.

She gave his hand a gentle squeeze.

"I never really knew my own father before he died," she said, "but I'd like to think that he would be happy with how his daughter turned out."

Matt smiled.

"How could he not be, a lawyer like him?"

She tilted her face.

"I remember he wanted me to be happy," she said, "and to do what I loved."

"And is that what happened?"

She nodded.

"I've got a great career and great friends," she said, "and now this great place."

He moved in closer.

"Am I a friend?"

She pushed him away gently, laughing.

"My best friend…and…"

He interrupted her words by brushing his lips over her own and pulling her closer to him. The cot creaked dangerously.

"Houston…I don't really think…"

"Then stop thinking…."

And so she did.

* * *

Matt and she had ridden back to the ranch…eventually and she had stayed in the barn while he had gone into the house to cook dinner for both of them. Bo and Lamar had gone into town to check out a film at the small theater, taking the two teenaged ranch hands with them. Matt had made a quick phone call to his security men and they had told him that there was no sign of Marquis or anyone else for that matter. His shoulders and his mood felt lighter from what he had shared with C.J. and that the secret of his parentage didn't stand between them. In her usual fashion, she had taken what he told her and had made it clear to him that no matter what, he had been and would always be her best friend.

But Matt knew that the boundaries set by their friendship no longer existed and that the relationship itself had changed. At least as far as he had been concerned but when it came to C.J., he didn't know. She seemed determined to build her life on her new ranch and hadn't committed to whether or not she would even return to working in L.A. He couldn't blame her, the ranch had seduced him with its charms as quickly and surely as it had when it had belonged to him and the woman who owned it, naturally had worked her charms on him as well. And life in L.A. just wasn't the same without her in it.

Another thought nagged at him and that had been why C.J. had asked him to meet her at the stable. When he read the note, naturally he thought it was to get some action considering the last time they had been there together but his libido aside, he had read something on her face that had been there a lot in the past couple of days. Something she kept saying she wanted to tell him and she wasn't sure that it had been her discovery of his birth certificate. But after their most recent interlude at the stable, she had been pretty quiet on whatever it was that had been on her mind.

But he knew he had to come up with a way to find out.

* * *

C.J. spent some time after she put Chelsea in her stall, sweeping the barn. That had been Dylan's job but he had left with Bo and Lamar and she didn't mind doing it because it gave her time to think. Not that her mind worked on all cylinders after she and Matt had been…well doing other things besides thinking. The discovery of his birth certificate had thrown her through a loop and she felt that she had done the right thing to be direct with Matt about it because she hadn't been certain at all that he had even known about this chapter of his past. But he had been told as it turned out and had kept it to himself. She didn't begrudge him that because she knew who he was trying to protect. And she had seen a trace of fear along with uncertainty in his eyes when he told her, that she wouldn't be able to accept it or him, fear that he knew was unwarranted but that had also kept him quiet. Matt had always been so certain of who he was and what he wanted and a lot of that identity had been built through his relationship with his family and the expectations that came along with his last name. It had to have shaken him up a lot to learn that everything he thought had been true had been a charade. Maybe one that had been built out of love, but the truth had remained hidden from him most of his life.

She didn't care a whit who his father was and truth be told, she felt gratitude towards both the father who had raised him and the one that had reemerged from the shadows to save his life. If he had been shot instead and died…she couldn't even think about that. Not when she…

The door creaked and she spun around but nothing greeted her. She put her hand on her chest, her heart thudding and shook her head. Expecting to see Marquis appear at every turn, she would drive herself crazy. If he came looking for them here, Matt's men would stop him before he could wreak any revenge on the two of them. But she remembered the photo he had sent her from another time and knew that he would be coming for them soon enough.

And she had been so ready to tell him the truth, she had been preparing herself to tell him and then she had found another secret hidden inside an old desk.

Her cell phone ring and irritated at the interruption, she picked it up and saw it was her friend, Shelia.

"Hi Shelia, what's up?"

Her friend chuckled on the other end.

"You sound thrilled to hear me," she noted, "What's going on?"

C.J. went to sit on a hay bale.

"Marquis is running around loose but Houston and I made up."

She pulled the phone away while Sheila shrieked.

"I knew you couldn't stay away from him," Shelia said, "But then what woman could?"

Oh C.J. already knew the answer to that but it didn't bother her.

"Okay so you're right," she conceded, "I don't think I've ever been happier."

"Are you so surprised," Shelia said, "He's the perfect guy for you and it's time you got that through your head."

"I guess it's a good time…"

Shelia harrumphed.

"Better late than never, I'd say," she said, "Except then you have to think back to all that good sex that you missed…"

"Shelia, will you just give it a rest?"

Her friend chuckled instead.

"So when's he moving in or are you moving in with him?"

Shelia never missed a beat, C.J. noted.

"What…well he's moved out of the guest house…"

"That's a start," Shelia said, "but I mean when are you going to go public with your relationship?"

C.J. hadn't given that much thought because they had been so busy on the ranch and hadn't been paying much attention to the rest of the world.

"I don't think we can do anything until Marquis is safely behind bars…"

"Oh I'm sure you'll keep busy," Shelia said, "Well send me an invite to that event when you do decide to spill to all those inquiring minds out there."

Oh, like the paparazzi, at least they didn't know where the two of them had been hanging out. But she knew how the gossip columnists like to detail all of Matt's escapades with the ladies as one of L.A.'s hottest and most eligible multi-millionaires.

"And then there's the wedding…"

C.J. nearly fell off the bale.

"The what?"

"Baby showers and christenings and house warming parties…"

Shelia clearly was working off of some list.

"Aren't you thinking way ahead," C.J. said, "We just got together and we don't know where this is going."

Shelia sighed.

"Oh C.J. you know what you've got in front of you, you're a smart woman," she said, "But the biggest obstacle standing in your path isn't a terrorist, or Matt's black book which I'm sure he's burned by now, it's you."

"Excuse me?"

Shelia fought to be patient.

"You've just got this idea in your head that since he's your best friend since childhood that if you up the ante and do some frolicking together, it's the end of something great rather than the beginning of something much better."

C.J. almost said something but stopped herself.

"Ah, you're quiet, so you must be doing some thinking…"

"Yes I am Shelia," C.J. said, "So I guess I'll get back to you…bye…"

C.J. clicked off her phone and thought about what Shelia had told her and she knew there was some truth to her words. Okay, a lot of truth but still…she felt that she had been chartering unknown waters by her burgeoning relationship with Matt. Not that she would undo anything that had happened between them including about an hour or so ago but she didn't know what to do next. And she had always been a woman who rarely felt so unsure of taking a step into the future.

And then she kept thinking of Marquis and the chapter of her life that she thought had been closed when Matt and she had taken the steps necessary to put him away behind bars forever. But as it turned out reality hadn't come close to delivering anything close to that resolution and he would be returning into their life in some form or fashion.

Would she and Matt be ready for him when he did show his face?


	44. Chapter 44

Here's the latest installment of this FF story. I hope you like it, thanks for reading and for the feedback!

* * *

C.J. loved working in her garden when she had the time in her busy days on the ranch. Bo and Lamar had done most of the planting when they had first arrived here but she had focused her attention on tending to the seedlings after they had erupted through the soil. The peppers were her favorites and she had rows of different species of plants, with peppers of different hues of the rainbow. They were thick with peppers which the ranch hands had been picking for their Texas chili.

Weeding them hadn't been much a chore and she cleared out the tufts of them growing in between and around the pepper plants. It kept her mind off of the idea of Marquis lurking around out there in the world, perhaps close to the ranch awaiting the perfect opportunity to strike out at Matt and her. He had been a ruthless man when he had abducted her and Matt and she wouldn't really rest until the authorities had caught up with him.

The sun had been moving down towards the horizon but it still felt quite warm where she worked and she reached for her bottle of iced tea to sip while she evaluated her progress so far. Lulu walked up to her and knelt beside her.

"You missed one over there," Lulu said, pointing out a weed tucked in between two of the Serrano plants.

C.J. smiled at the teenage girl.

"Thanks, you have sharp eyes," she said, "So how are things going in the barn?"

"I've polished every piece of metal in that tack room," she said, "And there's a lot of it."

C.J. pulled another weed, shielding the pepper plant carefully.

"A lot of that equipment came with the ranch when Houston bought it" she said, "And some of the rest of it has been in his family for years."

"You mean he had cowboys in his family right?"

C.J. nodded.

"Some of them were key players in founding Texas" she said, "and came to settle it way back in the beginning."

"What about your family?"

"They settled there a bit later," she said, "I wasn't born there and my parents died years ago before I was sent to Texas to live with some relatives."

"That must have been hard."

"It was at first," C.J. said, "but then I met Houston. He lived on a neighboring ranch and we became friends."

"Why didn't you stay there?"

C.J. rested back on her heels.

"Houston wanted to get out of the shadow of his father," she said, "to find his own way, start his own business and so we came out to California to start new lives here."

"Why did you go with him?"

C.J. thought about it because it hadn't been the first time she'd been asked. Not that there had really been a decision to make, he hadn't even had to ask her to join him.

"We were business partners," C.J. said, "and very good friends since we were kids."

Lulu pondered that.

"So why did it take you so long to get hot and heavy then?"

Man, the girl was direct in her line of questioning, C.J. thought. She would make an excellent trial attorney.

"Excuse me?"

Lulu rolled her eyes at her.

"I mean why didn't you get together with him sooner," she said, "I mean I would have if I were you."

C.J. had been asked some variation of that question for most of the time she knew Matt, why she was only friends with him, why she hadn't pursued anything more with him, how she could stand by and let some other woman, actually a series of them, try to snatch him up.

"It's complicated Lulu," she started.

The girl shook her head.

"I don't think so," she said, "I mean if you want a guy, aren't you supposed to tell him?"

C.J. hedged, not sure how to answer that question.

"It's not always that simple," she said, "Sometimes it's all about timing. Houston and I have spent most of our lives in relationships with other people. And that was by choice."

Lulu harrumphed.

"Silly if you ask me," she said, "I mean a guy like that, who wouldn't…I mean if I were older because he's getting up there in years."

C.J. suppressed a smile.

"You're lucky that you have so many guys that want you," Lulu said, "I mean all I want is one guy to like me and Dylan…"

"Ah, he's still interested in that other girl."

Lulu nodded glumbly.

"All he does when we're working together is talk about her," she said, "Like she does this, she likes that and she's said this."

"You wish he would be more focused on you," C.J. guessed.

Lulu blinked.

"Well yeah," she said, "I mean I like him an awful lot."

Oh C.J. had been so there many more times than Lulu might believe because she had been through an awkward teenage phase herself and she had liked young guys but they looked past her to the more stylish girls, the cheerleaders, the party girls and such. Whereas C.J. had been more focused on her reading and studying, to do whatever she needed to accomplish her dream of being an attorney. She hadn't had time to spend worrying about guys who weren't interested in her anyway. At least that's what she had told herself.

Until Zack…

C.J. straightened up.

"I know you think you'll never find someone and that Dylan's the only guy out there but you couldn't be more wrong," she said, "You're young and you still have plenty of opportunities to meet people…"

Lulu scowled.

"Oh I know how the rest of this speech goes," she said, standing up, " and how there are other fish in the sea…"

The girl really was astute. But C.J. knew that what she said was the truth too, but not one that perhaps Lulu was ready to hear. It was times like this when C.J. didn't miss her teenaged years.

"I know it's difficult to hear right now, I know how I felt when someone told me that," C.J. said, "but it's really true."

"Easy for you to say because you found someone…"

C.J. sighed and looked up at Lulu.

"It took me a long time to reach that place," she said, "but every relationship I had along the way helped shape who I am now."

Lulu appeared to be listening through her disinterest.

"I don't think I would have really appreciated my relationship with Houston if we had been together years ago," C.J. said, "We probably would have broken up. We were both going through so many other changes in our lives."

Now Lulu looked fascinated.

"How can you say that when you're together now?"

C.J. smiled.

"Because there were times I almost felt ready to make that change," she said, "and I didn't and I became frustrated by that but looking back now, I realize that sometimes it's best to wait for what matters and to be patient."

Lulu appeared to think about that and then nodded slowly.

"So does that mean that even if I don't get Dylan now, I could 10 or 20 years down the road?"

C.J. nearly blanched. After all, it hadn't been quitethat long for her and Matt but she got that the girl had been trying to make a connection.

"Well yeah that could happen," she said, "Or you could find someone that you like much better."

Lulu smiiled then.

"Okay that's cool," she said, starting to leave the garden.

C.J. stood up to follow her and felt a little lightheaded doing so. She reached for her tea and look a long sip.

* * *

Matt sat on the phone, while on hold. He had called Vince in Hawaii and had gotten Mama instead and she had rattled a list of events that had taken place in their lives including the fact that Vince had done her proud and he and his wife now had five children, not four. Matt hadn't been really surprised by that news because Mama had been badgering her only son for being an underachiever in that area and he had known it would only be a matter of time before his friend buckled.

But when he had asked to speak to her son, he had heard glass crashing in the background and some swearing and then nothing. He had called his old friend to help him refresh his memory on the whole episode involving Marquis and his son and the efforts that both he and Vince had made to resque C.J. and to incarcerate both father and son.

"Hi Houston is that really you," a voice said on the other line.

"Yeah Vince it's me, sorry to bother you."

"No bother, you know you can call me at any time," Vince said, "What's up?"

"It's got to do with Marquis, the father."

"Oh yeah, the one who got loose and is wandering around out there?"

"He's still at large and he hasn't made any moves yet," Matt said, "No one can find anything but a money trail going offshore."

"He could be building a new cell," Vince said, "or he could be hiring people to go after you."

Matt had considered all of these things and told Vince so.

"He's probably playing with your head," Vince said, "Hopefully, he'll get overconfident and make a mistake that will get him caught."

Matt doubted that. The terrorist knew how to take care of himself and anyone who got in his way.

"Maybe you should consider tracking down his known associates that got arrested and sent away last time," Vince said.

"I might have to do that," Matt said, "There's several members of his last cell doing time in federal prisons around L.A. In fact, there's a prison that's not too far away from here."

"You might want to give them a call and arrange a visit," Vince said, "I don't know if Marquis is going to bother trying to catch up with them about old times."

"No Vince, I think he's going to cut bait and look for some new converts," Matt said, "Maybe that will make them mad enough to have a grudge against their old leader."

"Maybe," Vince said, "Anyway nothing ventured, nothing gained."

And when he said goodbye to Vince and then clicked off his phone, Matt made up his mind to do just that.

* * *

C.J. left the garden, deciding she had enough exposure to the hot sun and she went inside the house to work on some paperwork connected with the ranchers. The tea had made her feel better and reenergized, she sat in the living room and started rereading some of the ranchers' mortagage letters to make sure she hadn't missed any details. Slade had gone off to do some research on the financial records of the lending institution the last she had heard. She appreciated that he still appeared dedicated to the work they were doing together even though she had nixed any renewel of their relationship.

She didn't know where Matt had gone, not having seen him since early morning when he had left to do some errands which he said would take him most of the day. He had seemed lighter as if a weight had been taken away from him after he told her the truth about her parentage. She had been glad that he had chosen to share that information with her.

During her time in the garden, her mind had been off Marquis and the memories of being his captive while Matt had been off the island trying to secure the release of his assassin son. Matt had told her that his brief time spent with the younger Duval had revealed to him that he had been a chip off the old man's block. But the son hadn't been able to escape along with his father and it became clear to C.J. through the mysterious emails she had been receiving that Marquis may have escaped prison to resume his terrorist activities but he had some business to finish first. She thought again about the security guards and wondered if they would be enough to stop Marquis. And she thought, probably not so she had taken a few precautions of her own.

When she moved into Matt's old ranchhouse, she had brought along her gun, the same one she had used to try to blast holes into her stalker, Christian Dean when he had broken into her home back in L.A. She planned to carry it wherever she went in case she encountered Marquis because she had no intention of being his prisoner again or for being used by him to get to Matt. If he got close to her, she would blast a few holes into him and this time she wouldn't miss. She knew from her experience with Dean that she wouldn't hesitate to kill in self-defense. After all, she had pushed Dean off of a 200 foot cliff and didn't even watch his body fall the entire distance to the gully below where it lay until the coroner's van arrived.

She had struggled with the knowledge she had learned about herself, that she would kill to survive. Matt had helped her through that by explaining that life was a better option than death. After all, her dead boyfriend, Carl, hadn't had the chance to save his own life before Dean stole it from him.

C.J. would never find herself in that position as long as she had any choice in the matter. The wind rattled the window nearby and she nearly jumped. Damn, her nerves were on edge since she had found out about Marquis' escape which wouldn't do her any good.

The door opened and in walked Lamar.

"It looks like it's going to be one of those days," he said, "We should see more rain tonight."

C.J. hadn't seen a cloud in the sky when she left the garden but the wind had picked up and in several hours maybe…hopefully Matt would be back by then.

"Okay, I guess we can send the hands home early today," she said, "and just put off the rest of the work until tomorrow."

Lamar nodded.

"Bo's got them working on unloading some new plants for the patch behind the barn."

"Okay that's great," C.J. said, "Tell Bo that we'll get started on that in the next day or so."

"I'll do that," Lamar said, "Where's Houston? I haven't seen him all day."

C.J. didn't know the answer.

"I'm not sure," she said, "but he should be back later on. Hopefully before the weather turns bad."

* * *

Matt sat in the car as he drove it to the federal state penitentiary for women on his way to a scheduled meeting with Carla, who had been one of the most enthusiastic members of Marquis' band of terrorists. Until the law enforcement agencies had cracked down on it and she had begun singing like a bird. Her reward for turning state's evidence was a shorter prison stint. If she behaved herself, she could be out in less than 10 years. Matt guessed that Marquis hadn't been in contact with her since his escape but he would soon find out when he arrived there.

His last vision of her had been when he had handed her a bomb and had dared her to do nothing to test her bravado. It hadn't taken much to break that and she had fled for the hills in just a couple of minutes. He hoped that she would remember that moment and he hoped that she would cooperate.

He had checked his emails before he let and he had received one that he believed Marquis had sent and he was past the point of asking nicely for answers. It had been one terse statement.

"_Everything can be negotiated…"_


	45. Chapter 45

Here's the latest installment of this FF story. Hope you enjoy it and thanks for reading and the feedback.

* * *

Matt waited in the barren room that was brightly lit for his opportunity to visit with Carla. She had been locked up in solitary confinement because of her prior ties to Marquis Duval and that she appeared to be an escape risk. Matt doubted that she would ever take the initiative to organize her own breakout because she appeared to be a woman who waited for the dominant man in her life to tell her what to do. He had seen that type of dynamic outside of Marquis' band of terrorists. People who were attracted to cults for example.

A lone guard had forced him to fill out the required paperwork and turn over any contraband. He had informed Matt that there would be extra guards stationed around her in the light of Marquis' escape from another federal penitentiary. Regular visiting hours had ended earlier so Matt sat alone inside the room. He wasn't sure what Carla would be able to tell him even if she was willing because he was pretty sure that Marquis had kept any plans he had pretty close to the chest. Not to mention that he most likely viewed his prior band of followers as expendable pawns as he had alluded to that as much in his most recent words to Matt before being apprehended. No doubt after he carried out whatever plot of revenge he had made against Matt that he would return to his terrorist roots.

Another reason that Marquis needed to be put out of commission once and for all.

The guard stood up and called for him to come over to be taken in the visiting area where he would then meet with Carla.

* * *

C.J. had hit the couch with some legal briefs after coming inside from the garden and she had soon stretched out on the couch and had fallen asleep, the day's work in the heat catching up with her. The briefs remained clutched close to her chest but her mind had entered into dreamland.

She had been pacing inside her room after he had brought her back from her escape attempt. One of her knees burned from where she had fallen on it and her arm had been sore from where Marquis had grabbed it in his anger. She had thought right then and there that he would take her and do what the guards had not. That he would shoot her himself right in front of them and her last sight would be his face. But instead, he had just glared at her and told her that he had other plans for her.

"_A bullet would be much too quick…" _

She had swallowed then but her throat felt raw, from her exertion as he threatened her further by saying that she and Matt would watch each other die.

"_It will be much slower than a bullet…"_

And then he had led her back to her room and pushed her inside. At first she thought he would stay there but he just cast her one more glance and then slammed the door behind him. She had been too restless, still coming down from her adrenalin rush to do anything but keep moving. Her mind trying to think of what Matt must be doing back in L.A. Going against everything he believed in by lying to free a ruthless killer to save her life. She wondered if he had stuck to the script that Marquis had assigned him or if he had plans of his own. Would he try to double cross Marquis in L.A. and then thought, no he would wait until he returned to the island. Whatever happened, she did know that he would somehow make it back to her and they would escape this island and Marquis Duval.

But if Marquis killed her in the meantime, she would never see Matt again. She looked at the door which kept her captive knowing that there were even more guards posted outside of it and the window too. And she knew she had a decision to make.

* * *

Matt walked into the visiting area and sat down at the chair. The chair remained empty on the other side of the closely set bars. He waited until the door opened and a shackled woman with long blonde hair tied up into a utilitarian ponytail walked towards him. She turned to look at the guard and he gestured for her to sit down and then stood in the corner watching her.

She sat down and smiled at Matt but there wasn't any mirth in her eyes. In fact, she looked like she had aged quite a bit since he had last seen here but then hard time could do that quickly to a person.

"It's been awhile," she said, finally, "I don't get many visitors."

"I don't imagine you do since most of the people you hang with have been locked up."

Her smile widened.

"Except for one."

"Your former leader Marquis Duval."

She nodded and folded her hands, clanking the cuffs on her wrists together.

"They'll never catch him."

Matt looked at her directly.

"Don't be so sure about that."

She chuckled.

"At least not until he comes after his enemies and eliminates them."

"including me?"

She folded her arms then and tossed her head back.

"What do you think," she said, "I believe that you're at the top of his list."

"I'm not surprised."

She leaned closer to the bars.

"You cost him his son…twice," she said, "and he'll never forgive you for that."

He leaned closer to her, not blinking.

"What has he told you?"

She tilted her head, gazing at him scornfully.

"I haven't been in touch with him lately."

Matt heard a catch in her indifferent tone.

"Not on his email list?"

She just glared at him, the coolness fading.

"I would think that you would be higher on his list of people to visit than me," Matt said, "Seeing that you turned state's evidence on him."

He saw something in her eyes that looked an awful lot like fear but she soon hid it.

"He could have even hired someone in here to take you out…at any time…in any place."

She laughed haughtily at that.

"I have people here to protect me," she said.

He sighed.

"I guess we'll see," he said, "Won't we?"

She just looked at him, uncertainty in her movement.

"I have nothing to worry about."

His brow rose.

"Oh yeah, well I'll tell you what," he said, "You have a lot to concern yourself about if you're holding back on me."

"Like what," she said, "I don't know where he is or what his plans are. I'm sure I'd be the last person he'd tell."

Matt leaned back and his chair and folded his arms.

"But you know him don't you," he said, "You know what he wants and what he'll do to get it."

She just shook her head at him.

"If you want to know what his plans are, why don't you just ask _her_?"

* * *

C.J. had finally knocked on the locked door to get the guards' attention and after they called through the door to ask what she wanted, she told them she needed to talk to Marquis. At first they had refused to allow her to do that and had told her to just shut up and be quiet. She didn't back down and had asked them to send a message from her to him and finally, the door had opened and the female terrorist had stood there aiming her machine gun at C.J.

"What do you want," the woman asked.

"I need to get a message to your leader," C.J. said, "Marquis."

The woman shook her head at her.

"You can't just go and see him," she said, "He's a very busy man and he's mad at you enough to kill on sight."

"I need you to send him a message then."

"I'd rather just kill you myself," the female terrorist said, "but then he would be angrier at me."

"Just a short message, please…"

The woman lowered her machine gun a little bit to think about it.

"Okay, a short message but I can't guarantee he'll see you…or decide not to come back and shoot you himself."

"Thank you," C.J. said, "I just want you to tell him…I need another minute…"

The woman looked confused.

"Listen don't play any games with me or with him," she said, "Tell me what your message is now or I'll forget I even allowed this."

C.J. grew exasperated herself but she knew she had to get these few words back to Marquis.

"That is my message for him," she said, "Those exact words I just told you about needing another minute…"

"Doesn't sound like much to me."

Desperation began to flood C.J. and she pushed back to keep it at bay.

"He'll understand when he hears it."

The woman looked at her skeptically and then she nodded.

"I'll do it," she said, "but you may have just ended your life."

C.J. thought it to be her only change to do the opposite which was to extend it just long enough…The woman looked at her one last time and then left, locking the door shut behind her. C.J. returned to the bed to sit down and await Marquis' answer.

* * *

Matt just looked at Carla.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

She gave him a steely glance.

"I'm talking about that woman who he used to get you to comply with his demands."

"You mean C.J.?"

Carla nodded.

"She made some kind of deal with him…before you returned."

Matt looked confused.

"Deal, what kind of deal?"

Carla just shrugged.

"That's not my business," she said, "but she had me deliver a message about needing for him to give her another minute or something like that."

Those words made no sense to Matt but he knew that he hadn't been privy to most of the details involving C.J.'s own ordeal on Marquis' island. She hadn't wanted to talk about it much but had always insisted on putting the experience behind her whenever the subject had been broached. And in the account she had provided for authorities to use against Marquis, Matt knew that there had plenty of facts that she had left out.

"I did take her to see him not long after that," Carla said, "and Marquis had everyone leave the room…including Delilah…just like before…"

"Before…what?"

Carla just stared at him.

"Just telling you this much could put my own life at risk."

He looked directly at her.

"I thought you weren't worried about that," he said, "but you will have me to worry about if you don't tell me what you know."

Carla knew that he meant it.

"Marquis had ordered two guards to take her out behind a building and kill her," she said, "right after he heard that you were successful in freeing his son. "

"So what happened?"

"He changed his mind and wanted to talk to her alone," she said, "I didn't think it was wise but we did as he asked and not much longer after that, she escaped."

Matt thought back to when she had shown him the armory inside Marquis' compound, not to mention the map of the island which showed the way to the airstrip. She had mentioned escaping but hadn't said much more than that.

"She thought she could buy herself more time," Carla said, "I might have done the same in her circumstances…not that it would have made much difference."

Matt remembered back to when he had been flying Marquis jr. and another terrorist back to the island on his Lear Jet. Only he had been flying blindly because they had kept the coordinates of his destination a secret but then they had made a grave error by having him set those coordinates in the jet's computer before trying to kill him. He had known all along that they had no intention of taking him back to the island alive and after all, he had made plans of his own. And surely enough right on cue, Vince had opened the door and had placed them both under his custody quickly enough. Which suited Matt perfectly because he had gotten tired of listening to Marquis' son prattle on about his achievements at promoting terrorism throughout the world.

After handcuffing them and chaining them to a couple of passenger seats, Vince had helped Matt put on his parachute before he would leap out into the darkness to find his way through the jungle on the island to where they kept C.J. Hoping and praying the entire way that they hadn't already killed her.

The sight of her sitting on the bed, her back to him had been one of the most special in his entire life. They had vanquished Marquis and his band of terrorists and had moved on with their lives. Or so they thought.

"Marquis has been moving money," Matt said, "What else has he been doing?"

Carla looked at him with disdain.

"I think you can guess the answer to that."

And then Matt knew she was right.

* * *

C.J. woke up from her sleep, feeling more tired than she had earlier. She sat up on the couch and placed her legal briefs on the coffee table. She noticed that the sun had been shining when she had drifted off but appeared more subdued now.

What had she been dreaming about, she remembered bits and pieces, images of the tropical island owned by Marquis. But everything slipped away into an abyss. She got up and headed outside and noticed that it had cooled down a bit but humidity cloaked the air. Bo and Lamar had been sitting on the fence watching Cayenne lope around her paddock.

"Is Houston back yet from his errands," she asked.

Bo shook his head.

"He hasn't even called" he said, "I hope he's back soon. Lamar and I thought about barbecuing dinner but the sky's looking awfully dark in the east."

A back sliding storm, C.J. thought. Quick and intense, a true force of nature. Hopefully Matt wouldn't get caught out in it. Her stomach grumbled and she felt hungry, not having eaten since late morning. She had been so busy pulling weeds in the hot sun that her appetite no doubt had taken leave.

"I can cook some steaks inside," she said, "Would you like to stay for dinner?"

Both hands nodded.

"We'll wait until Houston returns."

* * *

Matt drove from the prison, his mind filled with so many thoughts coming from his meeting with Carla. She had clearly not been eager to see him and hadn't given him much to work with or so she thought. Actually, what she had been telling him was to ask C.J. if she had received any contacts from Marquis. But wait a minute, if she did wouldn't she have told him? Why would she keep information like that to herself? She certainly had been angry with him when she found out in a roundabout way that Marquis had escaped from prison. But she had been very quiet on the subject ever since. In fact today she had gone straight to her garden when he had left on his errands, the ones he didn't talk to her about first. So which one was keeping secrets here?

As he drove back to the ranch, Matt saw dark clouds forming overhead and knew that they weren't just involving the approaching storm.

C.J. looked out the window when she heard a truck approach that she knew belonged to Matt. She took a deep breath before she went out to meet him on the porch. The breeze blew in, thick with moisture and she knew in several minutes, the rain would follow. Matt stopped after getting out of his car to look at her and she tried to read his face. She hesitated too, wondering why he looked so troubled but she broke first and started walking towards him.

When she approached, he smiled at her and she put her arm around his waist.

"Come on cowboy, "she said, "We've got to get you inside before it starts coming down."

He put his arm around her too and they walked into the house, the future weighing heavily on their minds.


	46. Chapter 46

The latest installment of my fanfiction story is up. Thanks for reading, the feedback and I hope you enjoy it!

* * *

Dinner had passed pleasantly enough as the ranch hands had joined them at the table while the rain pelted down outside. Bo and Lamar had just finished gathering up all the horses and putting them in the barn before diving into the steaks and potatoes. Matt watched C.J. why they ate, Carla's words remaining with him the entire time. Her mind seemed to be focused elsewhere but she listened easily enough to the ranch hands talk about the renovations that had been done in the past few weeks, even interjecting some comments. But she had put up a wall between herself and everyone else that had only begun to become more visible.

The hands offered to wash the dishes and C.J. took them up on it, feeling pretty tired. Matt followed her into the living room where she sat on the couch in the middle of her legal briefs trying to sort them out.

"You're awfully quiet tonight," he said.

She smiled at him, stacking her papers in order.

"It's been a long day."

"Yes it has," he said, sitting next to her, "The garden looks nice."

She nodded absently and he paused before continuing.

"I went to the federal prison to visit Carla today."

Her brows narrowed and he knew he had her attention.

"You mean…"

"That terrorist from Marquis' cell," Matt said, "I wanted to know if she knew anything about his plans."

C.J. didn't look at him but .

"What did she say?"

He rubbed his neck.

"Not a whole lot," he said, "but I did get some information out of her anyway."

"Like what?"

Matt read the expression on the face he knew so well, enough to recognize that she had some sense of what might be coming and had been trying to brace herself against it and him.

"About you actually."

He noticed she stopped stacking her paperwork.

"Oh."

"Is that all you have to say?"

She turned around to look at him for the first time and that's when Bo and Lamar entered the room.

"What's up guys," she said, changing the subject deftly.

"We're done with the dishes," Bo said, "The rain's still coming down so we're just going to head back to the cabin and catch the rodeo channel."

Matt nodded and they left, then he turned and looked at C.J.

"What's going on here," he asked, "What is it that you haven't been telling me?"

She hedged.

"I don't know what you mean."

He looked down for a moment as if thinking, then back at her.

"Carla said you made some type of deal with Marquis."

She froze then.

"I wouldn't call it that."

"Then what would you call it," he said.

She rubbed her eyes.

"My only way out alive."

Not the words he had been expecting and when she looked at him, she knew that. He remained silent for a long moment as he processed what he had just heard. She awaited his next words and he chose them carefully.

"What happened after I was taken off the island," he asked.

She just looked at him, her eyes holding a plethora of emotions that Matt tried to read but she hid her eyes away from him quickly enough.

"C.J…"

He tried to reach for her but she pulled away from him and got off the couch.

"No," she said, "Just leave me alone…"

And with that she left the living room, a stunned Matt in her wake.

C.J. sat on her bed listening to the rain strike the roof. Judging from that sound and the streams which ran down the window, the storm appeared intense enough to keep anyone with any sense indoors.

She wondered if that included Marquis.

Surely he had made his plans and only awaited the right opportunity to carry them out. She felt sure that he hoped to have stirred up apprehension and even a sense of dread in his targets. Was he near her ranch right now or even on it, waiting to attack?

* * *

And in the other room, much closer would be Matt having figured out that she had kept a secret from him, stemming back to the time that she had been held captive on Marquis' island. She wondered how he would view her if he knew the truth. Would he understand and be able to forgive her? She knew she hadn't been fair to him leaving him in the middle of the conversation but…

"Whatever it is, you can tell me."

She looked up to see him standing in the doorway and she looked at him warily from where she sat. The expression on his face then broke her resolve. She finally nodded at him so he approached her and sat on the bed close to her.

"What did he make you do," he asked

She kept her expression noncommittal, fidgeting with the comforter.

"Nothing," she said, "It was my choice Houston. I made it."

He digested that. Choice, what choice was she talking about, a lot of questions ran through his mind but he knew he had to rein most of them in.

"Okay so what happened?"

She took a deep breath to gather her thoughts together in hopes of finding some words that might make sense. He watched her quietly while she did this, saying nothing. Finally she broke the silence between them.

"When I saw you fall after he shot you," she said, "I thought at first you were dead and then the guards carried you away and placed you in a jeep."

"When they took me to the airstrip where they kept my plane," Matt guessed, "At least that's what I assumed they did."

He had been knocked out fast from the tranquilizer dart, and no memories of that part of the ordeal remained. Except that his focus had been on C.J. knowing that when his eyes closed, he would have no idea how to find her when he woke up. The terrorists had used the secrecy of their location as leverage against him.

C.J. looked up at him.

"Marquis just laughed after the guards untied me and said that I'd better pray that you returned with his son or I'd never see you again."

"They watched me carefully when I was in L.A.," Matt said, "If Vince hadn't put two and two together…"

She smiled at him then, but her eyes barely showed it.

"I'd knew you'd come back for me," she said, "Somehow you'd figure out a way so I had to do my part to stay alive long enough for you to find me."

"So you made this deal with him?"

She nodded.

"I knew he was attracted to me," she said, "At one point he was planning to have me killed as soon as he received word that you were on your way back with his son and he gave me one minute to change his mind."

At about the time Marquis' son and another terrorist had planned to kill him on his plane, Matt thought, C.J. had been facing an ordeal of her own. He waited for her to gather her words and continue.

"I tried to do what he wanted but I couldn't go through with it and pushed him away to escape."

"When you uncovered the armory," he interjected.

She nodded again.

"They caught me soon enough outside," she said, "After all, I didn't know where I was, where I could run to and he was very angry and he threatened to kill us both when you returned."

He watched her remember those days vividly.

"Vince and I had overtaken the men on the plane," Matt said, "right after we learned the coordinates of the island."

"I know."

He had known then that he was on his way back to her, to free her from Marquis and to get them both off the island while Vince returned with reinforcements to round up the terrorists. But he couldn't have even imagined what she had been facing in the meantime.

"What happened," he asked.

She paused.

"He was very angry and I didn't know what we would do," she said, "I had to buy some time until you returned so I had Carla give him a message that I knew he would understand."

"That's what she told me."

"She did that and he sent for me," she continued, "I told him I would do whatever he wanted if he wouldn't kill me."

"You mean…"

Her face hardened then.

"Of course I mean that," she said, "When he had touched me, I wanted to get as far away as I could…but it was the only way."

She turned her face away from him at that point.

"It doesn't sound like much of a choice to me," he said.

"It was mine and I made it."

"So what happened?"

She looked at her hands.

"He agreed…and he took me back to the bedroom where they kept me and we started…he kissed me…I closed my eyes…he didn't seem to care…then a guard came in the room, just barged in."

Matt watched C.J. took a deep breath before continuing. He wanted to do, to say so many things but he knew she needed her space.

"Marquis was angry at the guard until…he heard of your arrival on the island…without his son."

Matt nodded.

"They waited in the bushes until I had reached the compound to find you."

"He ran out of the room and left me there," she said, "I hoped he wouldn't come back."

He moved closer to her and she seemed to notice. But he still didn't touch her.

"We got out of there," he said, "You know I would have never left you there alone with them."

She sighed.

"I know," she said, "And when you showed up, I was so happy. I just wanted to get out of there, to go back home and forget what happened."

Matt could understand that, because that is what they had tried to do. They had gotten in his plane and started the journey back home and let the federal authorities round up the terrorists and send them to jail cells. He had believed that their return back to their lives had been seamless but now he knew that hadn't been the case at all.

"Why didn't you ever tell me?"

She had thought about doing that more times than he could know. But she had decided to let that memory fade with the rest of them after Marquis and his band went to prison and the two of them moved on in their lives.

"I didn't know how you would react," she said, "how you'd look at me."

He heard sadness in her voice as if she still didn't know even after all this time.

"I love looking at you," he said, "Nothing could ever change that."

Her eyes brimmed with tears and that's when he moved towards her and took her in his arms. She just leaned against him. When she looked at him, he caressed her hair back.

"These have been the best days of my life and I wouldn't trade them for anything," he said, "If you hadn't made that choice, I may have never had this time with you. You did what you had to do to get through that situation alive and I would never judge you for that."

She nodded slowly.

"And you've done amazing work helping people since that time," he said, "Sometimes life hands us difficult choices and sometimes impossible ones, you did the best you could with what Marquis handed you."

She looked up at him.

"It's how I feel about when you've been in the same place," she said.

And she had been true to those words. Sometimes when guilt had plagued him over actions he had taken or decisions made, she had talked sense into him and wrapped her arms around him and pulled him through it to the other side.

Now it had been his turn to do the same for her.

They lay together, wrapped up in the comforter and each other, listening to the rain hitting the window. C.J. knew that the next morning, the heat would dry up the rain pretty quickly, as it often did this time of year.

She remained silent for a while, listening to him breathing beside her, his arms holding her close.

"What did they say," she asked.

He knew she meant the authorities who were hunting for Marquis.

"There's been no word," he said, "He's gone deep underground."

Her brow furrowed.

"It doesn't make any sense," she said, "He should have been out of the country by now and I'm sure he's socked up quite a bit of money to get back in business."

Matt didn't say anything. They both knew that Marquis had always been a man whose actions made little sense except perhaps to him. But it had become clear to both of them that he hadn't left the country because he intended to seek revenge against those who had gotten him locked up.

"He's just biding his time," she said softly, "He wants us to worry ourselves into what he's doing or what he's got planned."

Matt knew that and he knew that even his best efforts to keep Marquis at bay might fail, because the man had slipped through much tighter security than the ranch enjoyed during his many years promoting terrorism.

"He's been emailing me…"

He looked at her suddenly.

"What do you mean?"

She propped herself up o n her elbow.

"I just started receiving them," she said, "I should have said something…"

"It's okay," he said, "What have they said?"

She sighed.

"Just things that he said to me when I was on the island," she said, "and then there was a photo of when I was in my bedroom."

Matt nodded. She noticed he didn't seem surprised at her news.

"I heard from him too," Matt said, "I didn't know for sure he wrote them but he mentioned statements that he had made to me."

He remained silent for a moment.

"I think we're going to have to be prepared for him to come here."

"What about the security?"

"It might not be enough," he said, "We both know how shrewd he is, as much so as he's ruthless."

She didn't need any reminder of what Marquis had like because her own memories remained vivid.

"We'd better have a plan."

Matt looked out towards the rain outside the window.

"I don't think we have to worry about him tonight," he said, pulling her closer to him again.

She lay against his chest, trying to relax but all she could think about was the old enemy who would be seeking his revenge against them on his timetable not their own.


	47. Chapter 47

This latest part is up, hope you enjoy it and thanks for reading and the feedback!

* * *

The sound that awoke them the next morning wasn't that of a terrorist breaking into the house but of the shouts of two male ranch hands which included some very colorful vocabulary and what sounded to C.J. like the squeal of a pig.

Beulah, no doubt.

She had slept soundly despite the revelations she had made to Matt the night before and he still remained asleep right next to her. Carefully, pulling the spread away from her, she crept out of bed without waking him. She quickly showered and changed into ranch attire, figuring that the wily sow had headed to the lake again for a morning dip.

But as she prepared to put on her boots, she heard water splashing closer. The swimming pool. And then the voices of Bo and Lamar came closer.

"I told you Bo to cut her off on the other side," Lamar scolded, "before she could even get inside the gate."

"I tried," Bo said, sounding like he had used up most of his energy, "But she had it in her mind to head to the pool even before she escaped again."

C.J. went to look out the window and saw them standing by the pool with their hands up in the air trying to talk some sense into a pig that was carrying on in the pool as if she were having the time of her life. C.J. figured that she was but she also knew she had to get her out of the pool, never an easy task.

Suddenly Matt came up behind her, having put on some sweats that he had found somewhere.

"What's up," he asked, putting his arms around her from behind.

"Beulah's out taking a morning dip again," she said, "I'd better go fetch her."

"Need some help?"

She turned around to face him, and kissed him softly on the mouth.

"No, I think the three of us can handle it," she said, "You need to get an update on Marquis so we can talk about it over breakfast."

He nodded.

"I'll cook up some omelets while you're out there working…"

She made a face.

"You know, I think I'd rather have some cereal today," she said, "I'm not that hungry and suddenly the thought…"

His brow rose.

"Are you sure," he said, "Because I can try that new bunch of peppers you have growing outside."

She nodded back at him.

"I'm sure," she said, "I've got some oatmeal in the cupboard and if you boil some water…"

"Consider it done."

She left the bedroom to go out and help Bo and Lamar corral the pig and get her back in her pen.

* * *

Matt frowned, as he walked into the kitchen after showering and putting on some worn jeans and another one of his faded shirts. He had called his security men to brief them on what C.J. and he had talked about last night. He had thought briefly about asking C.J. to leave the ranch and go into a safe house until Marquis had been captured but he knew what she'd say about that, beginning but not ending with a quick veto. She would never leave her ranch and go hide from the terrorist and maybe it was better to keep her in his sight.

As it was, the news about Marquis and their conversation had apparently killed her appetite for his specialty omelets. Oatmeal was just too tame for a woman like C.J. but he'd cook her up some if that's what she wanted.

His phone rang.

"What's up Hoyt," he said, reaching in the cupboard, "I'm fixing breakfast."

"Where's C.J.?"

"She's out hoping Bo and Lamar rope a pig…not for breakfast though that's sounding awfully good right now…but it's kind of Bo's pet…"

"One of those pot-belly pigs?"

"Hardly," Matt said, "Beulah's a real one with the intelligence and the appetite to prove it."

Hoyt chuckled.

"I can tell that this ranching lifestyle of yours suits you," he said, "You sound like you're having a great time considering the circumstances."

Meaning in spite of a terrorist breaking out of prison and probably preparing to come after him. But despite that, Matt knew that the last several weeks had been the time of his life. What with C.J. where she belonged in his life and in his bed and the stress of his life at the office a memory. There were times he had to admit that he didn't know if he ever wanted to return to L.A. Oh, he loved investigating cases and helping people but he liked ranching too. Working hard outdoors often on the back of a horse all day and then coming home to C.J. He could definitely live that kind of life.

"So what's up on the Marquis front?"

Hoyt sighed.

"Still quiet…"

"He hasn't been that quiet with C.J. sending her emails and photos," Matt said, "I'm worried that she's his means of getting at me again."

"You can't blame him for doing his homework Houston," Hoyt said, "Everyone knows how you feel about her."

Matt ran his hand through his hair. He guessed that they might guess that his feelings for C.J. ran deeper than a platonic friendship but whether he would act on it or not might have been left to speculation. Because it took him long enough to figure out that he had wanted much more out of his relationship with his best friend.

"I know that Hoyt," he said, "I just want him caught before he has any chance to go after her."

"We're doing all we can," Hoyt said, "But he's one of the best in his line of work and he's probably somewhere not too far away laughing at us."

Matt didn't doubt that.

* * *

C.J. joined Bo and Lamar at trying to entice Beulah to the area of the pool where the steps were located so she could just strut her porcine hooves and get on out of there. But the pig liked where she was at and probably the attention so she splashed around a bit longer.

"Beulah, come along sugar," Bo coaxed.

"Tell her she's tonight's pork chops if she stays in there," Lamar advised.

Bo just shot him a look.

"She can understand you," he said, "and you don't want to scare her."

Lamar just shook his head.

"No wouldn't want to do that," he said, "Has Beulah ever been scared of anything?"

C.J. watched the two of them banter and Beulah snort up water as she paddled in the pool. But she found herself suddenly seeing pork chops, nice and crispy with plenty of soft succulent meat and she had to keep those images out of her mind because after all, she had grown fond of Bo's pet. But her stomach rumbled and she had to take a deep breath. She shook her head because she didn't even like pork that much but not as much as she hated oatmeal.

"Beulah honey, we need you to get out of there…now."

Lamar kept shaking his head at Bo's futile efforts to entice her onto dry land. Matt came out and informed everyone that he had the omelets ready to go along with some oatmeal. Bo and Lamar looked at him oddly until Matt mentioned that it would be C.J.'s breakfast and then they sighed in relief.

"She's still in the pool," Matt noted.

Lamar blew out a sigh.

"Of course she is," he said, "Beulah always did have a mind of her own."

Matt walked to the edge of the pool.

"Okay just take it easy and let 'ol Matlock handle this situation," he said, winking at C.J., "I always did have a way with the ladies."

She rolled her eyes at that.

"Houston, I think Beulah's very selective about the males who come to woo her…I don't think you're quite her type."

He paused.

"Yeah I guess you're right," he said, "but I bet she'll like some sweet talk followed with some of those apples …Bo go fetch some."

Bo nodded and left, relieved to be out of there. Matt leaned closer to Beulah when she paddled closer to the poolside and reached down to scratch her.

"See, she likes me."

C.J. suppressed a laugh and saw Beulah move away. She thought about warning Matt but decided to let him find out for himself when she did that. Just like she had last time. And Matt probably figured out that he had been snookered when he lost his balance and fell straight into the pool. He sputtered as he surfaced, looking crossly at the pig.

"I have a hankering for pork chops about now."

C.J. chuckled.

"I had the same thought Houston," she said, "and I don't even like them much."

Beulah must have decided that the pool was getting too crowded for her taste because she moved towards the steps and scampered up them before snorting up a storm. Lamar just shook his head.

"Beulah, you are one stubborn female," he said as she tore off towards the barn.

The two ranch hands grumbled and followed the pig. C.J. turned towards Matt who was working his way to the steps.

"You taking a dip this morning?"

He stood up in the shallow end.

"Want to join me?"

She raised her brow at him.

"Maybe…later," she said, "but I think I smell breakfast burning…"

Matt shot out of the pool and headed to the kitchen, leaving a trail of dripping water. She beat him to the kitchen and watched the stove.

"So much for the oatmeal," she said.

He entered in a few moments later dressed in a robe.

"Oh you look really nice…"

"Maybe I should just head back to bed," he said, "and better yet, maybe a certain woman better join me."

She shook her head with a smile.

"I've got to try to eat this oatmeal," she said, gingerly spooning it, "It's edible I think."

He got her a bowl and he worked on the omelets while she rehabilitated her breakfast. Bo and Lamar appeared just as the first omelets were done right on cue.

"I smell something good," Bo said, "and I've worked up quite an appetite thanks to Beulah."

Matt served omelets to everyone and they went to the table to eat. C.J. had sat down with her oatmeal and put some sugar in it. But Matt's eyes widened at what came next…cayenne peppers straight from the garden.

"C.J…"

She looked at him puzzled.

"What Houston?"

He just stared.

"Nothing…I did talk to Hoyt," he said, "There's no news yet on Marquis. It's sounding like a broken record."

She spooned her oatmeal into her mouth.

"He's playing with us Houston," she said, "He's just sitting back trying to psych us out while he gets ready to make his move…preferably when he has us good and scared."

"Are you scared," he asked her.

Her eyes flashed.

"Hell no," she said, "If he steps one foot on my ranch…"

Matt heard the indignation along with anger in her voice. He felt reassured that he didn't hear fear but they really had to watch their step and keep their eyes out sharp for him.

Bo and Lamar just looked at each other and then at them.

"That terrorist guy is coming here?"

Matt sighed.

"Not if we can help it," he said, "but we're going to have to be prepared in case he does…Now fellows if you'd rather be…"

They shook their heads.

"We're not going off and hide somewhere," Bo said, "That's for wusses and that's certainly not us."

"Okay then," Matt said, "I'm going to need you to keep an extra close watch and to contact us if you see anything suspicious. You got your cell phones?"

Lamar nodded.

"I don't like mine much but I know when to use it."

"Bo?"

The other hand sighed.

"I have mine."

The finished eating in good order and C.J. prepared to leave to go to town to drop off some letters at the bank that held the mortgages to the ranches. She wanted to deliver them personally to get them time stamped.

"Want me to go with you," he asked.

"I'm meeting Slade for a meeting with him and Ruth Ann right after," she said, "but you're free to come."

"Okay then let's get going…"

They got into his truck and headed on down the winding road through the valley of rustic scenery towards the small town. Matt parked the car next to the bank and they got out to head inside the institution.

* * *

C.J. walked up to a matronly woman sitting at the desk and handed her the letter. The woman smiled and said she would get it to the vice president of loans and mortgages, providing C.J. with a time stamped copy. C.J. thanked her and she and Matt headed to the café where they would be meeting Slade and Ruth Ann. They marveled at the landscaping which divided the main street into two lanes, something that had changed since Matt had lived on his ranch.

The café also was a new addition and they entered it, heading to where they saw the others sitting. Slade looked at him a bit warily but Ruth Ann greeted him warmly. Matt placed his hand on C.J.'s back and followed her into the booth. Slade gestured the waitress over and she took orders for coffee from them.

"I met with the other ranchers this morning and they're not sure how long they can hold out," Slade said.

C.J. smoothed her hair back.

"It's going to take time to get the court date," she said, "The letters I dropped off today should move us closer."

Ruth Ann nodded thoughtfully.

"I mean I'm ready for the fight but the others," she said, "They are losing money to pay their hands, money they can't afford."

"I know," C.J. said, "but all we need is a couple of weeks…"

"I'll tell the others that," Ruth Ann said, "There's been this man coming around."

C.J. and Matt looked at each other.

"Who is he," C.J. asked.

"I don't remember," Ruth Ann said, "My son handled the visit and he was an older man with a foreign accent."

Could that be Marquis, both Matt and C.J. wondered. It didn't seem likely he would behave in such a fashion but then who could be sure?

Slade sipped his coffee as soon as it arrived.

"C.J., the point I raised is that we're in a crunch here."

She looked at him steadily.

"I know that," she said, "But we knew that it was going to be tough going in."

"I told you that," Slade said, "You said you weren't sure…"

She shook her head.

"I don't remember that part of the conversation Slade," she said, feeling her ire rise.

Slade folded his arms.

"I do," he said, "and I remember what I told you."

She almost something and then felt Matt's hand on her thigh and she smiled at Slade instead.

"Okay, whatever you say," she said, "I've been too busy doing other things…on the ranch to keep up but I don't think we should hash over it here."

His eyes widened at her calm attitude and C.J. just looked at him and thought, this meeting had already gone on too long besides, the hand on her thigh, much more interesting. She found herself asking again, why she had agreed to work with Slade.

Matt just looked at them both and felt that C.J. could more than handle her ex as the meeting continued.

And outside, a dark car sat parked outside, watching the café.


	48. Chapter 48

Another chapter of this FF story is up! I hope you enjoy it, thanks for reading and for your feedback!

* * *

Matt listened to C.J. and her ex, Slade go back and forth with their debate. He saw the impatience line her face but her voice remained calm. Much more so than Matt knew he would be in her position. Slade clearly was irritated at C.J. for deciding not to get back together with him and Matt just wished he'd accept it and move on with his life. If helping the ranchers was paramount for him, then certainly he could to that. He rubbed her thigh where he had placed his hand and she smiled back at him.

"Slade, look, okay you're right and I'm wrong," C.J. conceded, "Now that we've settled that more or less, can we discuss what to do next?"

He looked taken aback at her words.

"Okay…well I think the letters were a good…start."

Oh she wanted to roll her eyes at him. All that fuss and he was acquiescing on that point. She felt hunger pangs and reached for some crackers in the center of the table. She looked for something to spread on them and set her eyes on the Tabasco sauce. That looked interesting, she thought as she reached for it. Opening the lid, she poured a dab on her crackers before nibbling on them. Oh that tasted good, she thought closing her eyes. Salty, with just the right spicy kick.

"C.J…."

She looked up at Matt and Slade.

"Yes?"

Matt eyed the crackers and the Tabasco sauce bottle.

"Are you feeling okay," he asked.

"I'm…just a little hungry," she said.

"I can see that."

Slade looked over at Matt.

"Wow, I mean her tastes ran a bit quirky but nothing like this…"

She just looked up at the both of them.

"You both need to expand your horizons a bit."

Matt's brow rose.

"We'll discuss that later," he said, "but if you want to order something off the menu…"

She felt like pouring the Tabasco Sauce over his head at that point but no, why waste it?

"I'm fine until lunch," she insisted, "I had a good breakfast."

Matt narrowed his eyes.

"The oatmeal," he said, "You don't even like it."

She shrugged then her phone rang. Sheila's name showed up on the Caller ID and needing an excuse to leave the two men and the meeting, C.J. told them she would take the call outside.

"What's up Shelia," she asked.

Shelia just chuckled.

"Catch you in the middle of something?"

C.J. sighed.

"Not really," she said, "Just the latest round in the battle of wills between Slade and Matt…and me."

"That sounds…charged."

"You're not kidding," C.J. said, sitting on an outside bench, "Slade's being an ass second guessing and rewriting everything I ever did or said with working with the ranchers and Houston's…he looks like he's about to tell Slade to bring it outside."

"Well let him then."

C.J.'s jaw dropped.

"What did you just say," she said, "You want them to fight it out?"

"Why not," Shelia reasoned, "They're two alpha men, who've both marked their territory…"

"Excuse me, this isn't wildlife special or romance novel," C.J. said, "I don't need to be fought over or marked."

"C.J., this might be the 21st century," Shelia said, "but this is what every woman secretly wants underneath their business suits and no nonsense, take no prisoners professional persona."

"Huh, I don't think so."

Shelia sighed.

"You are very slow on the uptake," she said, "and you've got two men after you."

C.J. rubbed her eyes.

"I'm having enough fun with one of them."

"Okay that's a start…and he's much sexier than Slade anyway."

C.J. couldn't disagree with that.

"Slade's had trouble coming to grips that it's been over between us," she said.

"Wait a minute; didn't you want to have a no-strings affair with him just a week or so ago?"

C.J. felt chagrined, knowing that had been the case…then.

"Okay but I'm where I want to be now," she said, "and it's going very well."

"That's great," Shelia said, "So is he staying there or are you moving back to L.A.?"

C.J. paused.

"I'm not sure. I love living on the ranch," she said, "I've felt happier and more free here than I have in a long time."

* * *

Matt came outside to join her. She smiled at him.

"Listen I have to go now…talk to you later…"

She clicked off her phone and got up.

"Where's Slade," she asked.

"He's on his way out," Matt said, "Meeting's done and you need to get home and get some lunch."

She frowned.

"I am kind of hungry," she said, "I have some leftover chicken and we can make some sandwiches."

That sounded just fine to Matt. He stroked her arm after he put his arm around her.

"Maybe we can take the rest of the day…and do other things."

She smiled at that as they walked out to their car. At first they were so wrapped up in each other that they didn't see the car approach. It accelerated and headed straight towards them. Matt reacted first and pulled her out of its path and forced them both on the ground as it whizzed by and raced around a corner.

"What the hell," C.J. asked as he helped her back up, "Was that guy drunk or crazy?"

Matt wondered because he couldn't see behind the wheel of the dark sedan as it had all happened so quickly. But it had looked intentional but to harm them or just to scare them? He saw C.J. study him more closely.

"You don't think this is an accident do you?"

He looked at her.

"Not likely."

"Was it Marquis?"

Matt didn't know and told her that. He knew that Marquis likely would play mind games with them before he showed his face…and his hand. But if he intended to kill both of them, it wouldn't be quick like being struck by a fast moving car but would be slow and drawn out, as much as possible. So that the terrorist could weld the most possible power over the two of them because they had threatened to curtail him at his peak. He wondered when Marquis would betray his location and knew it would only happen on his own schedule which made him all the more deadly and formidable.

"I don't know C.J. but it's more than possible."

She nodded, accepting his assessment. In her own mind, she figured it had to be the first aggressive move he had made against them and he wondered what the next action taken by him would be.

They headed to the car and drove back to the ranch, carefully watching to see if any vehicles followed them but saw none.

* * *

Bo and Lamar had a spread ready for them on the table near the swimming pool with both Dylan and Lulu sparring at their end of the table. C.J. wondered if Lulu had accepted the fact that Dylan's attentions were at the moment on someone else. She shook her head, remembering what life had been like at that age. She had felt like she had been on the fringes of dating guys until Zach. The intensity of the feelings of first love still remained with her in the form of memories, leading up to the one where Zach had just left her when she suspected she was pregnant. She idly wondered what her life would have been like if she had been left pregnant by him, raising a child by herself. Not that she would have been alone because she had friends who would have helped and supported her, but emotionally would it still have been overwhelming?

Having children greatly impacted the lives of women just as it would have done for her. Even now, she didn't feel prepared to take that step, to put a lifetime of commitment into raising a family. And she learned enough about herself that she didn't want to do it alone. Matt helped himself to the fixings of a sandwich and a beer and joined her at a table.

"This is great," he said, biting into his sandwich.

C.J. agreed, happy enough to let someone else do the food preparation.

"So what are you doing today," he asked.

She thought about it.

"I might take Chelsea out and check some fencing on the other side," she said, "It's hot so I might stick to the shaded areas."

Matt nodded.

"I've got to meet again with my security men," he said, "just in case they've seen or heard anything."

She kissed him on the mouth briefly.

"I'll see you later then," she said, leaving the table while he watched her go to the barn.

Bo and Lamar watched her too.

"She's sure been looking happy since she's been here," Lamar commented.

Matt wondered about that. He didn't think that C.J. ever had really been unhappy. But he did see a side to her on the ranch that he hadn't seen in quite some time. She had begun to fade into the background when his uncle had moved to L.A. after their time spent on the run clearing Matt's name. Then more so after Zach had joined the agency. Matt had wondered if her decision to keep her distance from her former life had anything to do with him. But it hadn't, it had to do with her and her need to expand her horizons and try new things or rediscover old things like living and working on a ranch.

* * *

C.J. rode off to the far side of the ranch to look at some fencing that had been leaning the last time she had ridden in this area. It bordered a ranch that had been behind that owned by Slade. She reached for her water bottle as it had grown quite hot in the past hour. She enjoyed the cool water sliding down her throat and idly thought of what she wanted to do when she returned to the ranch.

And then she heard it suddenly. The sound of a gunshot, from a rifle perhaps, pierced the still air and Chelsea whinnied wildly before bolting across the meadow, with C.J. trying to regain control of her frightened mount.

* * *

Matt's head shot up when he heard what he thought was a gun shot. The other men with him looked up as well.

"Where'd it come from," Rusty asked.

"Across that meadow over there," Matt said, already heading towards his horse.

"We'll come with you," Rusty said.

But they stood by the lake where Rusty and the other men had their motor boat tied to the dock, which limited their ability to assist Matt.

"It's not near the lake," Matt said, "I'll handle it and keep you on radio in case you're needed."

Matt rode off while the other men just looked at him.

* * *

C.J.'s horse had taken off running and though she was an experienced rider, she had to struggle the first seconds not to lose her seat or worse, get smacked off of it by a low hanging branch. C.J. leaned forward and worked the reins, calling to her horse.

They wove and out of the trees and headed towards a fence. The mare turned sideways when she approached it, and C.J. shifted her weight to keep from falling. They rode like that for several minutes before C.J. was able to tighten the reins to ease Chelsea gradually into a canter and then finally pulling her to a stop. She patted her horse that still quivered beneath her and dismounted, grabbing the reins to take her over to some shade to check her feet to make sure she didn't pick up anything on her jaunt. She looked around for any sign that another person lurked nearby but saw nothing. But she knew she had heard the gunshot crackle through the air. Who had fired it and why? Had it been done to frighten her or try to harm her? And was it a sign that Marquis had reached her ranch?

She sat down on a nearby tree stump and looked out across the meadow. Deciding to rest Chelsea before heading back to the ranch, she reached for the saddlebag to get her water. She felt tired, her muscles tight from the tough ride. And her mind worked quickly. First the near miss by Matt and her with the sedan in town and then this…in the same day.

What was going to happen next?

Matt rode through the meadow as fast as his filly would take him. If anything had happened to C.J…he spurred his horse faster. Then he turned the bend and he saw her sitting on the stump ahead, looking pretty tired. He got off his horse, tied it up and then headed towards her. She looked up and thought he looked like a very welcoming sight. He embraced her without saying anything and pulled her in closer.


	49. Chapter 49

Here's the latest installment of my FF story. Thanks for reading and for the feedback. Hope you enjoy this latest chapter.

* * *

C.J. didn't like it much when people tried to kill her and she felt that she had experienced too many close calls that day already for it to be a coincidence. Not that she didn't like it when Matt wrapped his arms around her but really, she wanted to get to the bottom of this and find out if Marquis had already begun playing his hand.

"Chelsea's run herself tired," C.J. said, "I might wait a while before heading back."

"I'll stay with you then…"

He stroked her hair back.

"Come here in the shade," he said, reaching for her hand.

"Shouldn't we go find out who's running around my ranch with a loaded gun?"

Matt noticed that she appeared flushed.

"I didn't see anyone and my security guys are already looking for him."

"But…"

He led her toward the shade near a throng of trees and they sat down.

"Are you okay," he asked.

She nodded.

"Just had a bit of an adrenaline rush," she said, "Had me going there for a minute."

He wrapped up one of her hands in both of his and they both leaned against the tree.

"They're going to find whoever took a shot at you," he said, "And maybe it's the same person behind the wheel of the sedan earlier."

"It's got to be Marquis."

Matt couldn't argue with that, though they had a roster of enemies around the globe who could come after him at any time for revenge. But right now, Marquis topped that list. He wanted to go tearing off across the ranch looking for the shooter but he knew he couldn't leave C.J. alone.

"I'm going to stay with you until we hear from security."

She nodded again, feeling dizzy probably from the heat.

"He could be anywhere," she said, "There are thousands of acres of land out here to hide."

Matt figured that whoever it was hadn't stuck around but had left the area, after realizing the two of them had decided to stay together.

"We're going to be okay," he said, "We'll sit here a while and then we'll head back."

A man dressed in black ran up to where they sat and stopped in front of them, looking as if he ran some distance to get there.

"Dominic did you find anything," Matt asked.

The man shook his head.

"Not a trace," he said, "No weapon, no shell casings, no tracks…nothing."

"You sure?"

"It's as if he evaporated after he did it."

C.J. and Matt looked at each other.

"Marquis is one of the best in the business at leaving no traces of where he and his band have been," Matt said.

Dominic nodded.

"We heard from Interpol that they had picked up some surveillance video of a couple men in Switzerland who handled some financial transfers from the Cayman Islands."

"He's moving his money around then."

"Looks like it," Dominic said, "Faster than the authorities can catch up."

"He's around here somewhere," Matt said, "he's got to be headquartered somewhere nearby."

"It's not on the ranch," Dominic insisted, "We patrol any place that he could possibly hole up day and night."

"Someone took at shot at C.J."

"It could have been a trespassing hunter shooting at some movement in the bushes."

Matt rubbed the bridge between his eyes.

"Not likely," he said, "Not considering that a sedan almost hit us earlier that day in town."

Dominic looked doubtful.

"Why would he want to kill you quickly if he's playing mind games with you?"

That was a good question, Matt knew but then figuring out Marquis and what ran through his twisted mind at any time never proved easy. The terrorist had a razor sharp intellect that defied most attempts to fully understand it let alone anticipate its every move. C.J. got up to get her water bottle out of her saddlebag. Chelsea seemed much more relaxed, content to nibble at tufts of greenery in the shaded area. She felt better now that the waves of dizziness passed. This heat must really be getting to her, she thought as she returned to her spot.

"I don't know if we have enough men," Matt said.

Dominic nodded.

"We could send out another team," he said, "But it might not make much of a difference if Marquis is sending in accomplices to do his work."

"I wonder how many people helping him he's got," Matt said, "He's been out of prison a bit longer than a month and he's no doubt been very busy."

"No telling," Dominic agreed, "He's been difficult to do intel on so there's no way to know."

Matt didn't like the sound of that but he knew he had to assume that Marquis had begun to amass if not a small army, at least a well organized cell of professionals from just about anywhere on the globe. And Matt didn't know how many Marquis would use to come after C.J. and him.

"I don't think it's going to be much longer until we do know," Matt said.

* * *

C.J. felt suddenly sleepy so she had leaned against the tree and closed her eyes. The breeze hadn't been enough to provide much coolant to the hot air. She had sipped her water and had felt better but her eyes had started to feel heavy. The voices around her began to fade.

The planes had landed and men spilled out of them to seize control of Marquis' island and apprehend him and the rest of his terrorists. Vince had led the way though the operation had been handed off to the FBI and U.S. Marshals once the government that Marquis had paid off broke its agreement with him and authorized his eviction. She had been more than happy to watch as the men in green uniforms and carrying heavy artillery rushed in as a swarm past here, settling with Matt to watch the fires caused by the explosive that they had set before leaving the compound. Two guards had marched a handcuffed Marquis by them and he had turned his head angrily to gaze upon them. However his voice had been calm as he swore that there was no lockup they could ever place him in that could hold him for long. That he would be freed and then he would come looking for them.

C.J. had heard the deadly weight in his voice and had known he had been serious about seeking revenge against them. She had hoped that he would never have that opportunity but he had indeed escaped. On the plane ride back, she had curled on a sofa during part of the long flight and had fallen asleep, dreaming of better things after she and Matt had eaten some food. He had told her about his escape from Marquis' son and how he had parachuted down to the island in the dead of night. She had relaxed and fallen asleep, making up for what she had done without during her days on the island. Dreaming that she and Matt had made it to the Bahamas after all to spend a week at that resort that Murray had raved about as a business venture. Eating meals on the deck outside their suite and listening to the ocean. Walking on the beach under the moonlight before they kissed as the tide curled around their feet. It was a dream after all and anything was possible. As his hands moved to rest on her waist, while he deepened their kiss, she felt something shake her awake.

She looked straight up into the probing eyes of Marquis and it had been him kissing her mouth as she tried not to recoil. But she snapped and pushed against him.

"C.J…"

She opened her eyes and saw Matt looking down at her from where he sat. Dominic had obviously left and Matt's hand had been on her shoulder. Her heart still pounded as she tried to adjust to a seated position.

"What happened," she asked.

"You fell asleep," he said, "I guess you needed it but it's getting late and we should head back now."

She nodded and got up to fetch her horse. Chelsea neighed eagerly, ready to head back to the barn so she swung aboard. Pulling the reins, she and Matt rode on back.

* * *

C.J. sat back in the Jacuzzi marveling in the air that had cooled down markedly in the past several hours. She had perused some documents for a while after Matt had gone off to help the ranch hands haul in some more bales of alfalfa. She still felt tired despite her impromptu nap and her muscles, tight. Nothing a Jacuzzi wouldn't fix. After dinner with Matt, she had headed in for a soak while he wrapped up some business calls with Murray who appeared a bit frantic back in L.A. since Matt had been absent for a while.

Her cell phone rang predictably and she knew before looking, it was Shelia.

"I tried to call you earlier," her friend said.

"I was taking a nap," C.J. said, "after some excitement."

"Excitement out in the boonies, do tell…"

C.J. paused.

"Someone tried to run us over this morning in town," she said, "and then while I was out riding, someone fired a gun."

"At you?"

"I'm not sure but it spooked my horse."

"So after all this, you found time to take a nap?"

"After it happened," C.J. said, "Houston rode out to find me and he and one of his security men talked it over."

"I hope they catch this guy soon."

C.J. sighed.

"You and me both, not to mention Houston."

"How's he doing," Sheila asked, "Why aren't you two getting it on right now?"

"Shelia, that's a personal question…"

Her friend harrumphed.

"I'm just jealous that's all," she said, "but at least one of us is getting some action."

"He's catching up on some work that he hasn't been doing because…"

"Got the picture."

"And I've been tired because it's been so hot here," C.J. said, "It will cool off in another month or so."

"Drink plenty of water and spend the time in the shade with your boyfriend," Sheila advised.

C.J. looked up and saw Matt.

"I got to go Shelia," she said, "I'll talk to you later."

* * *

C.J. curled against him in bed later where they had headed after their time spent in the Jacuzzi and then taking it inside after getting a bit frisky. She felt relaxation fill her replacing the tension that had permeated that day as he stroked her hair. The sensations that filled her at that simple gesture caused her to close her eyes.

She sighed against him, nestled in the warmth of his embrace.

"So what happens next," she finally asked.

He looked at her face.

"What do you mean?"

She smiled softly.

"With us."

He thought about that.

"I'm exactly where I want to be," he said, "What about you?"

She nestled closer.

"So am I," she said, "But is this open-ended?"

"Meaning…"

"What happens when you go back to L.A.?"

He furrowed his brow.

"I've already decided to buy some ranchland out here to be closer to this woman whose bought mine."

She tilted her head.

"Seriously now…"

"I'm not going to live all the way in L.A. if you're here."

"You could stay here."

He appeared to consider that.

"That's certainly a possibility."

"There's plenty of room," she offered, "in case you need some space."

"I'm not sleeping in separate bedrooms."

She chuckled.

"That's not what I meant."

He knew what lay behind her words.

"C.J. there's a problem here…"

She frowned.

"What's wrong?"

He stroked her lips and her heartbeat quickened.

"I've fallen in love with you."

Her eyes widened and a smile threatened next but instead she nodded.

"It's mutual cowboy," she said, "But I've loved you for a while now."

That intrigued him of course.

"How long?"

But she left that admission hanging.

"So I'll stay here with you," he said, "Now that's settled…"

He started kissing her again and she thought, at least that part's settled. That he loved her like she loved him and she remembered how often she had wanted to hear him say those words.

"We have to deal with Marquis," she reminded him, "Until he's caught, it's hard to see too far ahead."

"He will be…one way or another he'll be back in prison before too long," he promised her.

The sunlight greeted them as they woke the next morning. Matt had stirred earlier and had kissed her before heading off to work in the barn with Bo and Lamar. C.J. had gone into the kitchen to make herself some of the not so dreaded oatmeal. A little Tabasco sauce, some fresh peppers and it went down quite easily. Lulu who had been nibbling on some toast just shook her head.

"Ew how gross can you be," she said.

C.J. just looked at her blankly.

"It's really quite good."

Lulu just shook her head and walked out of the kitchen. C.J. pulled out her phone and checked her email. Her eyes widened as she saw one from "Old Friend", the creepy mailer she now believed to be Marquis in disguise.

_Your boyfriend better be careful in the barn…_

She sucked in her breath as she read the message. Then she rushed out of the house towards the barn.

Matt had been helping Bo and Lamar repair a stall door and he had hoisted it to restore it in its position. Suddenly, they heard someone rush into the barn and C.J.'s voice calling to them.

"Something's going to happen…"

Matt looked at her and then heard a creaking noise above him as a piece of the rafter swung down towards him.


	50. Chapter 50

Another chapter up of this FF story. Hope you enjoy it, thanks for reading and the feedback!

* * *

Matt looked up and saw the rafter come swinging down and ducked beneath it, rolling out of the way as it fell to the ground with a crash. He looked up when the dust cleared.

"That was close…"

C.J. dashed over to him and helped him up, throwing a glance at the plank of wood.

"I can't believe what just happened," she said, "Are you okay?"

He nodded.

"If it hadn't made that noise…"

He would have received a direct blow and possibly killed or at least badly injured. Bo and Lamar went over to inspect it.

"No sign of dry rot or termites," Bo noted.

In fact, the wood looked to be in fairly good shape and its edges looked clean to Matt. And then he remembered that C.J. had said something just before it happened.

"What's going on here C.J.," he asked, "I heard you say something was going to happen just before I heard the noise."

She nodded, looking distressed.

"I received an email," she said, "About something happening to you in the barn."

"This was no accident then," Matt said, rubbing his head.

"It must be Marquis," C.J. said, "It's the same person who sent me the others."

"I wonder if he's watching us," Matt said, "After all I was working in the barn."

C.J. shrugged.

"Well if they set up that beam to fall, it could have happened at any time you went in there," she said, "So maybe whoever's responsible didn't know you were there."

"Maybe…"

Lamar looked up from the wood.

"It looks like someone cut it clean boss."

Matt inspected it and agreed, as if it had been sliced almost surgically and then attached loosely back together. But that would have taken more than one man to do all that.

"I'm going to call the security men," he said, taking out his cell phone.

C.J. watched him leave the barn. She realized just how close of a call it had been for him, too damn close.

She looked at Bo and Lamar.

"You didn't see anything suspicious did you?"

Both men shook their heads.

"You know that Beulah would have raised a fuss if any strangers wandered in here."

C.J. thought quickly.

"Maybe it was done that night she escaped," she said, "You know when you thought someone scared her."

Bo nodded.

"They could have used the fuss over her running off as a diversion while they sabotaged the rafter."

That was as likely a theory as any other.

Matt had Dominic on the phone.

"I think that someone's been coming on and off the ranch," he said, "Or they found some place to hole up."

Dominic didn't seem too sure.

"We combed every inch of this ranch," he said, "Most every day, at least once though it is large."

Matt knew that their surveillance had been thorough given that there were relatively few entrance and exit points where someone could use undetected for very long. Especially with the security detail. But had someone slipped through anyway?

"We're going to have to double the patrols," Matt said, "He's getting closer if he isn't already here."

Dominic agreed.

"We'll do that boss," he said, "We just got two new guys today after they were vetted."

Matt thanked him and clicked off his phone. C.J. had left the barn and walked to the paddock to watch Cayenne inside of it, shaking her mane.

"They're going to add more men," he told her.

She nodded and rested her arms on the fence.

"I know that I'm supposed to feel safer," she said, "But all of a sudden, I don't and damn it, this is my own property."

Matt heard the vehemence in her voice and had to smile to take the edge off his own nerves. He placed his arm around her shoulder.

"You will be safe here," he said, "I promise."

She looked up at him, her eyes seeking his own.

"I'll know you'll do your best," she said, "but Marquis is nothing if not brilliant and absolutely ruthless. He won't rest until he gets his revenge."

He squeezed her slightly.

"He can try C.J. but he won't win."

She heard the determination in his voice and felt better. Not that the tension didn't go away but she knew from experience that he would do anything to protect the ones he loved. Matt had proven to be formidable at doing just that and often the promise of it deterred many of their enemies but not all of them.

And certainly not Marquis.

* * *

She watched him as he left her and walked back into the barn determined to work with Bo and Lamar to fix the broken rafter, to make his old barn that now had become hers just a bit better. He had that way about him to always lend a hand or more than that to help those in need, including many of his clients that he served as an investigator. That aspect of his personality had always attracted her even when she had been much younger and had first met him. She had fallen in love with him back then but quickly realized that Matt had a thing for young ladies, beginning in junior high and continuing up to not too long ago. They had always been close friends but had never breached that line between them that kept them from becoming more than that. So when both had lowered their guards enough to take that step, it had meant all that more to both of them. And now they were trying to figure out where these new steps they had taken would lead them towards a future together. A little bit at a time because it still felt so new but exciting at the same time.

She had been in love before with men in her life. Zack had been her first love and introduced her to the headiness of romance up to the point he abandoned her. Then there were others like Carl, the man that she had let her guard down enough to fall in love with just before he had been murdered and of course, that silver tongued cad, Robert who had broken her heart when she realized that he had been a cold blooded killer underneath his debonair air. It had been Matt that had tried to set her straight on his true character but it had taken her a lost night's sleep to be able to accept it. That her best friend really had her best interests at heart and hadn't been trying to hurt her.

Not that she had believed it for that brief moment in time when the shock of Matt's accusations against Robert had slammed right into her. Just after Robert had asked her to marry him and to accompany him in his next job offer across the country. And she had been so willing to just drop everything and go with him no questions asked even as her own doubts nagged at her. Not about whether or not her fiancé to be was a sociopathic killer but whether she had been really able to open her heart to a man since her father had died when she had been a little girl. Men had come and gone in her busy life, and one had gone like her father but Matt had been the one constant in the middle of the tidal forces of relationships. During moments of relative peace, she had wondered what it would be like if they took their relationship further than just friendship but she had wondered that if they did, whether it or she would ever be enough for him. Because as she often reminded herself, Matt had been a player of the field most of his life. Not that he didn't have a serious relationship including several engagements here and there but like with her, those had never worked out. Including his most recent engagement to Elizabeth which had gone kaput just before they reached the altar.

If it hadn't been for the vengeful killer, their relationship still would have failed to take root through marriage, Matt had admitted to her one night when it had been her turn to take him out to his favorite restaurant to nurse a broken heart. And she did know that the broken engagement and Elizabeth's departure had hurt him. Just like she had been hurt when relationships in her own life hadn't worked out.

And during her first one with Zack when she thought she had been pregnant…and he had just been left without looking back. He had acted as if she were using that even lying about it to hold onto him. When he had returned to work for Matt's firm, so had the memories of how she had felt. But Matt had sent him packing without thinking too much about it.

Her stomach grumbled and she suddenly felt that the oatmeal she had eaten hadn't been enough to fill her up. So she thought about making a sandwich but had a hankering for some sardines. The kind that were crammed inside those little tins. Now that sounded really tasty right now, she thought.

Then she frowned, remembering she didn't like them. Oh whatever, she sighed as she began to think about heading to the kitchen. Suddenly Matt reappeared beside her and she looked at him. He still wore the concerned look on his face but he wrapped his arms around her and drew her close.

"So what's on your menu today?"

She smiled.

"I thought about having some sardines in a sandwich," she said, "but I'm not sure there's any in the pantry."

He looked at her puzzled.

"C.J. you don't…"

She looked at him.

"They just sound really nice right now," she said, "Maybe I should go to the store and get some."

He furrowed his brows.

"Maybe you should stay away from town after yesterday…"

She snorted.

"Houston…I'm not going to be afraid to live my life."

He placed his hands on her arms and she looked up at him.

"I'm not telling you to be afraid," he said, "But if you want…sardines for your sandwich, maybe Bo and Lamar can run to town and get them."

She softened.

"What about you," she said, "You're the one who nearly got killed in my barn."

He stroked his chin.

"I think he just meant to scare us," he said, "Else why send you the email?"

"True…"

Not that it made her feel any better. But his arms around her definitely did. She kissed him, which made her feel even better than that.

Suddenly she heard someone clear their throats. They broke and looked to see Bo.

"I'm sorry to break up the two of you," he said, "But Lamar told me that he thinks the rafter will hold."

Matt nodded and turned to C.J.

"I say that we pack up some lunch and do some riding," he said.

She looked interested.

"Where?"

He smiled and his eyes danced.

"It's a surprise..."

He reached for her hand.

* * *

They packed up some sandwiches, alas none with sardines and some beverages and after saddling up their horses, took off riding across the ranch. C.J. didn't ask any questions about where they were going because she knew it wouldn't do much good. So she rode alongside him while they chatted about how good the ranch looked, now that it had received attention again.

Finally she noticed that they were heading towards the lake and her interest perked. Mostly because it was beautiful, one of her favorite spots and some interesting things had happened there. But her eyes lit up almost immediately because resting there moored next to the recently repaired dock was Matt's sailboat. The one they had taken out on the lake many times when they had a few hours and wanted to get away from it all.

"I can't believe you got it all the way out here," she said, turning to him.

"I had help," he said, "It wasn't that difficult and then you…we could do some sailing on beautiful days like this one."

They got off their horses to get a closer look. It appeared as if Matt had been working on his boat where it had been housed in a small shed near the barn. It had been painted and its trim polished, and now it sat waiting for them to take it out for a spin.

She looked at him.

"Do you have any time now," she said, "Seeing how it is a beautiful day."

And shortly after, they had taken the boat out and it glided effortlessly across the smooth lake. The wind had kicked up and aided them, so they could spend most of their time looking out at the shore line where a small village resided including their favorite spot for eating freshly caught and cooked fish. Today, when they found a quiet cove, he helped her out of the boat and they set up a spot where Matt had produced a spread to sit on while they enjoyed their lunch. She found that the sandwich satisfied her appetite and as they sat back on the shore, beneath a tree enjoying some iced tea, she grew reflective.

"It does look different on this side, doesn't it?"

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer to him.

"Everything looks just fine right here."

She nodded.

"It's been a hard month or so getting the ranch ready," she said, "but I've enjoyed nearly every minute especially since this cowboy I know decided to crash my renovation effort."

A smile curved over his mouth.

"Oh he did, did he?"

"Not that he's not a hard worker and great to look at," she said, "especially in a pair of chaps."

He grew thoughtful.

"I missed those chaps."

She chuckled.

"I'll bet…"

He started kissing her on her neck.

"Houston…"

"What?"

"I think we're technically in a public place."

He flashed a glance around them where everything looked perfectly still, like a photograph snapped of time.

"I don't see anyone around."

She moved in his arms.

"Falling in love is great…"

Matt couldn't disagree with that or its fringe benefits.

"It certainly is," he said, "especially in such beautiful surroundings."

She sighed.

"I mean I was thinking about what it's been like in my life when I've felt that way."

He stroked her arm.

"We've both been there before in our lives."

He felt her nod against him.

"It's a little scary too."

The tone in her voice got his attention.

"It doesn't have to be."

"I just remember back to when I was younger and so sure that it was love," she said.

"You mean with Zack?"

"But when I thought I was pregnant…I felt it even more keenly," she said, "Only it turned out he wasn't ready for that anymore than I was."

Matt didn't quite agree.

"Zach was a self-centered jerk," he said, "Still is. I don't know why I didn't see it earlier."

She shrugged.

"I could have told you what happened, but I didn't," she said, "I think I was too embarrassed…like I failed to hold onto him. I was very young and not very mature myself."

He stroked her hair back.

"If he were a man worth his salt, he never would have turned his back on you when you needed him."

She digested that.

"But we were both young and a pregnancy would have altered our lives…"

"It will always do that I think for any couple," Matt reasoned, "but they learn to get through it."

She remained silent for a moment.

"If the test hadn't been negative, it would have changed my whole life," she said, "But sometimes I wonder what it would have been like…but I would have been raising him or her on my own."

He shook his head.

"C.J. you had friends that would have been there with you," he said, "I would have been there. You wouldn't have been alone."

She smiled at him and kissed him for that. Because she knew he meant his words.

"I know…"

"You'd have made a great mother," he said.

"You think so," she said, "With me being so married to my career and what we've built together…I don't know if I would have enough room for a family right now."

"Sounds like you've been thinking about it," he noted.

"Well yeah," she said, "It's what I want someday with the right person of course."

He nodded.

"That part's very important," he agreed, "how's the search

She chuckled.

"I don't know," she said, "I'm having too much fun right now. You see I've met this guy…"

He stopped her by kissing her, and after a couple of seconds, she had forgotten what she had planned to say anyway while in his embrace.

* * *

Not too far away, a man sat in a diner eating a meal that a waitress had just served to him. He picked up his phone and punched in some numbers. After someone picked it up, he smiled.

"We're ready to launch boss."


	51. Chapter 51

Another installment of this FF story is finished. Thanks for reading, and your feedback. I hope you enjoy it!

* * *

After they sailed back to the dock, Matt tied up his boat and they met up with their horses that seemed none the worse for wear for the time they spent together.

"That was nice," C.J. said, "It's been a while since we took her out on the lake."

Matt grabbed his hand in his own.

"We could always go out fishing when things slow down on the ranch," he said.

"What about your work back in L.A.," she asked.

He responded by pulling her closer.

"I've been pretty busy here," he said, "to even report back to the office."

"Murray must be frantic, don't you think?"

Matt shrugged.

"He's been running the conglomerate for a while now," he said, "I don't really think he needs my help."

"What about the agency," she asked.

"Well sometimes Murray's been pretty helpful there."

She chuckled.

"No, I think it's something that you'd want to go back to…when all this drama with Marquis is over and done."

He released her hand as they both went to their horses, untying them for the ride home.

* * *

The man in the diner had gotten off the phone with his boss. He shook his head at the instructions, thinking really, this wasn't the way he would have handled the situation at all. First of all, he wasn't used to taking orders from other people. He had been the master of his own destiny…at least until he had wound up in prison. No thanks to his current quarry.

In fact, he had been kicking back inside one of California's maximum security prisons serving a life sentence or two when one of the jail's messengers had sent him a folded piece of paper tucked inside his meal while he had been in solitary for a week. The message had no known sender, just that if he wished to leave prison in another way besides a coffin, he should await further instructions.

Naturally he had been interested, who wouldn't be? Despite what the judge had said at his sentencing, he had no intention of spending the rest of his life, even his formidable years locked up in a dirty cell. He had other pursuits he wished to follow enough to keep him busy for years. More messages came with more instructions for him to follow and all that was asked would be for him to do a favor once he had been sprung.

Ah, the catch that he knew would be behind this unsolicited assistance to render him once again a free man. But what the hell, nothing in life had ever been free and he needed to be back in the world where his talents as he called them would receive greater appreciation than they had from those responsible for locking up.

Including the man who had broken his nose before police officers had handcuffed him and carted him away to jail. Some two-bit investigator that had been trying to thwart his efforts to carry out a plan to wipe out a list of victims that happened to include someone he knew. Because of that man, his plans to marry one of the wealthiest women in L.A. (who just happened to be blackmailing him) had come to a grinding halt. Alas, the woman he had planned to marry had been convicted of conspiracy to commit multiple murders and was serving out several life sentences in the female equivalent of his own prison. He hadn't heard much from her since.

The escape had taken place without a hitch. Proving that the unknown individual who masterminded his escape had to be some kind of professional, a master criminal perhaps even more cunning and even smarter than himself. He prided himself on his abilities to pull off the crimes, after all he had some so close to accomplishing his goal and getting away with it. Except for…well what he did know about his mystery benefactor was that he hated Matt as much as he did because his own plans to commit mayhem had been sacked by the investigator.

He chuckled at that thought, as he also prided himself on his taste in humor having been an expert at it himself in his sunnier days. Abbott, Costello, Groucho, W.C. Fields, Laurel and…well Hardy was doing some serious prison time too. But even in prison, he had earned some privileges by entertaining the other inmates when he hadn't gotten into trouble and wound up doing solitary time.

Now a free man, he had enough cash left over to enjoy if not the finer things in life (as his tastes once ran quite expensively), he could eat food at a local restaurant, drive a car and sleep in a nice bed at night even if all this took place in somewhat…rustic surroundings. That would be remedied when he completed his job for his temporary boss and then received the balance of his money. Then he could take his huge wad of cash and slip back into the fabric of society.

But not before vanquishing the world of the people who put him away.

* * *

"Hoyt, I thought that was you," Matt said, as he walked from the barn where he and C.J. had left their horses.

She had headed to the garden to harvest some more of those cayenne peppers she just had to have. C.J. certainly had some interesting tastes of late, Matt mused as he listened to Hoyt provide him with the latest update from Interpol.

"Houston, there's not much from Interpol," the lieutenant said, "But the feds are sending out an evidence team to your barn."

"Now hold on here," Matt said, "I thought you said you didn't think that had anything to do with it."

Hoyt sighed.

"If C.J. got an email about it just before, then the sender would have to at least know about it."

Matt knew it was more than that. The sender had to have been responsible for what had nearly happened to him. He clearly had decided to play some sick games with them before he tried to exact his full revenge.

"So did they glean anything from her email?"

"Negative," Hoyt said, "It was layered in so many anonymous layers that it's untraceable."

"Not surprising," Matt said, "But someone's been sending us both emails and they're filled with things that Marquis said to each of us after the kidnapping."

"So clearly it's him behind it."

"He's been out long enough to find himself plenty of accomplices or start up a new cell if that's what he wanted to do," Matt said.

"He's been keeping it really close to the chest," Hoyt noted, "but these recent incidents…"

"Indicate that he's got at least one accomplice," Matt said, "and that this person's pretty close by."

Hoyt paused.

"Have you actually seen anyone?"

Matt sighed.

"No I haven't," he said, "but some of the ranchers have been approached by strangers asking questions about C.J. and me."

"What kind of questions?"

"Just in general," Matt said, "and about the ranch."

"You've got plenty of security haven't you?"

"I hope so Hoyt," Matt said, "but it's never going to be enough to keep Marquis out if he really wants to make his presence known."

"I'll call you back if anything comes up."

"Thanks Hoyt."

* * *

C.J. had been picking some more peppers from the new plants that Bo and Lamar had brought to the ranch. She broke one open and tested it. Hot and spicy, just the way she liked them. She smiled and collected some more. The sun that day hadn't shined as brightly as it had earlier in the week and she felt a cool breeze drift through hinting of the ocean. She brushed her hands on her jeans and reached for her water to take a long sip. Knowing how important it was to stay hydrated, she always kept a bottle nearby when she worked.

Her phone rang.

"Sheila, aren't you supposed to be working," she said.

She heard laughter on the other end.

"It's an office party at the Red Onion."

That explained it. She knew that Sheila's workplace held boisterous parties, having attended a couple when she had been with Randy.

"Houston and I went sailing out on his boat."

"Oh that sounds romantic," Sheila noted, "On a lake right?"

"Well yes, there's a large one bordering the ranch," C.J. said, "He brought his sailboat over and we took it out for a spin and then had lunch."

"That sounds fun," Sheila said, "So he's really pulling out on the stops on reeling you in."

"We've been having fun if that's what you mean."

"How long is he staying on the ranch," Sheila said, "before L.A. calls him back?"

"Until Marquis is captured and returned to prison," C.J. said, "Hopefully that will be soon. He's been making his presence known."

"That doesn't sound good."

"He's getting closer and he's letting us know it."

"You do have plenty of police around you?"

"Security from Houston's company," C.J. said, "They're the best in the business."

"How are you otherwise?"

"You mean since we last talked," C.J. said, "I'm fine. I think I've been tired a bit. Probably from all this work catching up with me."

Sheila sighed.

"You need to take it easy," she said, "You put too much in your work and you've got a boyfriend to keep happy now."

"He's been a great help with the ranch work."

"I'm sure he's been great in other ways," Sheila clucked, "Oh I do envy you."

"I'm out here in the garden picking some peppers for dinner," C.J. said, "And breakfast too."

"You mean with omelets."

"No actually they go great with oatmeal."

Sheila paused.

"Excuse me?"

"No really," C.J. said, "You should try it sometime."

Her friend chuckled.

"I think I'll take your word for it," she said, "But that sounds kind of strange."

C.J. paused.

"I know," she said, "I used to be unable to stand eating oatmeal."

Her friend paused longer this time.

"Uh C.J…you are being careful aren't you?"

"Well yeah, considering there's a terrorist running around loose…"

Sheila snorted.

"That's not what I mean," she said, "I mean when you're with Matt. You're using something."

C.J. grew indignant.

"I always use something," she said, "I never leave it up to the guy…ever since Zack."

"Okay then…so then you are taking precautions?"

"Yeah I'm on the pill, so?"

Sheila hesitated again.

"It's just that you say you're feeling tired and you're…eating oatmeal which you don't even like with peppers in it."

C.J. sighed.

"That doesn't mean anything," she said, "I couldn't possibly be pregnant."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course," she said, "It's impossible…the pill's nearly 100% effective."

"Actually it's a little less than that," Sheila reminded her, "I'm just saying sometimes even the most reliable methods don't work out."

C.J. knew that but she still couldn't possibly be pregnant. Yes, she and Matt had been quite…busy since they had gotten together but her friend was just acting crazy. Absolutely crazy, after all it wasn't as if she were…late. Well actually wait a minute there; she thought quickly doing a couple calculations in her head.

Oh damn. Houston, there might be a problem.

"C.J. are you still there?"

Definitely a problem...but nothing really to worry about, it had to be nothing.

"I'm here."

"Okay good I haven't lost you so you really don't think that you could be…"

"I don't know…I'm sure everything's all right."

"Oh it's going to be just fine," Sheila said, "This isn't Zack you're dealing with after all."

"No, I couldn't possibly be pregnant," C.J. said, "I've got too much work to do still and he..we just got together and…"

Sheila chuckled.

"Biology doesn't work that way," she said, "Remember what you learned in health class?"

Suddenly she heard someone walk into the garden and she looked up and saw Matt.

"I've got to go," she said, "I'll talk to you later."

She clicked her phone and stood up to walk over to Matt. No, she couldn't be and if she took a test, it would most certainly be negative. It couldn't possibly be otherwise not with everything else that had been going on, what still lay ahead. Damn where did you find a pregnancy test in the middle of nowhere anyway? Well, maybe she could order one through Amazon...overnight delivery. Damned if she were going to fly back to L.A. and buy one especially since Matt would insist on traveling with her, given that Marquis was currently running around.

"What's up," he asked her.

She looked at him.

"I was just on the phone to Sheila," she said, "She wondered when you were heading back."

"She needs an investigator?"

C.J. shook her head. Matt raised a brow at her small pile of peppers.

"You going to use all those," he asked.

"Probably," she said, "They do taste good."

"I can see that," he said, "Come on, let's take them in the house and get ready for some dinner."

She took his hand and squeezed it, as they walked back into the house.


	52. Chapter 52

The next installment of this FF story is up! I hope you enjoy it and thanks for reading and the feedback!

* * *

C.J. woke up with a start and looked out into the darkness. Matt still slept beside her and she waited for her heart to slow down. She had fallen asleep easily enough, feeling plenty tired after another day working on the ranch and then she had slipped into what appeared to be a dream. She had been in what appeared to be a hospital looking around every endless corridor following the sound of a crying infant. But she couldn't find the right room.

Then she looked up and found the infant in the hands of Marquis who just laughed at her evilly.

So here she was sitting in bed in the middle of the night unable to sleep once that vision had been planted in her head. She got out and headed off to the kitchen for some tea to drink. The dream still remained vivid in her mind as she got some tea out of the cupboard and began boiling some water to steep it.

Damn Sheila getting her all worked up believing that she might be pregnant. She couldn't be after all she had been using contraception. She always took that role in every relationship she had since the first one had left her believing she had gotten pregnant. Being left to face that alone as a young woman had been difficult and it had been life-changing. But she knew she had to take care of her own body, and not expect that any man would do it for her. But Matt was a whole lot different than men like Zack. He really cared about the women he had relationships with whether they were serious or not. She believed him when he had averred that he would have helped her with the baby if there had been one with Zack. She wondered what he would think if she had gotten pregnant with his child, would he be happy about it or would it be too much too soon? Their relationship had just began its new direction and she knew that he enjoyed it as much as she did. But a baby would add a dimension to it that would push it further down the road it had just started and she wasn't sure how he would deal with that. She knew he loved children and wanted some of his own some day, but the emphasis perhaps was that it would be some time in the future and not right now.

Wait a minute, she thought. Wasn't she jumping the gun here? She hadn't even found out whether she was pregnant or not. For that she needed a test and here she was in the middle of the rural valley some distance from L.A. without access to one. The pragmatic side of herself stepped forward here as she tried to remember if the general grocery had stocked up in tests but then again she hadn't been looking. Wasn't there a pharmacy?

But it was a small town, not much of one really and she knew in these kinds of environments, people loved to talk and if she came in by herself and bought a pregnancy test, would it get around the town? After all, she didn't want Matt to find out through some gossip hotline.

She should really get on her computer and look it up on Amazon. Grabbing her mug of tea, she walked over to the window to look outside when suddenly a face of a man appeared. Their eyes met for one frantic second and then he bolted away and she heard something crash outside. What was this, a middle of the night peeping tom, no it had to be someone working with Marquis. But there had been something familiar about the face…

But damn it, no one was going to traipse on her property and scare her like that or hurt the ones she loved. She thought about confronting him but looked down and noticed she only wore a skimpy robe. Still, she ran to the living room, slapped on a pair of shoes sitting there and went to grab her gun. She looked over at Matt sleeping and didn't want to disturb him unless she had to do that. But he heard her rummage through her clothes drawer.

"What's going on here," he asked.

Without looking at him, she grabbed her gun and checked to make sure it was loaded.

"Where are you going with that," Matt said, getting out of bed.

He reached for some clothes.

"There's a man outside," she said, then was gone.

Matt knew C.J. was upset about the trespasser but she really shouldn't go outside by herself even with a gun so he dressed quickly and left the house. His mind worked quickly, thinking okay, maybe it was just one of the security guards doing patrol, one she hadn't met yet. But she seemed adamant and had gone running out the door.

He walked to the barn running into her. He grabbed both of her arms.

"Now wait a minute here," he said, "If there's someone out there, you can't face him by yourself."

"I'm fine Houston," she said, "I can take care of myself."

"I know that," he said, "but this man might not have come on his own."

"I'm sure he didn't," C.J. said thoughtfully, "He looked almost familiar…"

"What do you mean," Matt asked, "Someone connected with Marquis from the island?"

She shook her head.

"No I think this is something else."

* * *

The man had been out of breath when he reached the safety of the highway after tearing away from the ranch and that was after sprinting to his car which he had hid behind some trees on the dirt road. Damn that woman, he muttered to himself. How could he have possibly guessed that she would have been up at night in the kitchen? He had been trying to search the house to find a weakness that he could take back to his boss to breach and…to leave another note which now sat on the seat of his car next to him.

He knew he would face hell over that but nothing could be worse than what he had already faced locked up in prison with heartless killers. Oh sure, he had directed the assassinations of about a half dozen people or so and had targeted others but in his case it had been different. Oh the cause had been grand enough to make murder the only option to avoid exposure that would tie him to another unfortunate murder connected to him some years earlier. But she, the one and only Liz, had been the woman that could change him, set him on if not a happier path, certainly a more prosperous one.

But now she sat in prison too being punished for her role in his scheme, leaving him alone and free. But between him and returning to his old haunts was his debt to his mysterious benefactor. Once he had that done and behind him, the world would be his to exploit again.

However, he would have to deal with some unpleasantness from his boss over getting caught by C.J. like he was some cheap tawdry peeping tom when he was nothing of the sort. He was handsome, debonair when not in prison garb and soon he would be very, very wealthy.

* * *

Matt and C.J. came up empty on their search and went back to the house, just as the sun began to rise. She told him she would fix him some breakfast and he asked her if she were actually going to eat something besides oatmeal. She shrugged and said she just didn't feel like eating eggs, not telling him that just looking at the runny yolk, in the bubbling white repulsed her.

They showered, got dressed and ate breakfast and he watched her slice up some cayenne peppers to add to her oatmeal but said nothing. When she caught him looking, she lifted a brow and he returned to his own breakfast. She wondered if he suspected there were anything different going on with her, well besides her change in eating habits.

"I've got to go into town," she said, wiping her mouth with her napkin.

The fork stopped midway to his mouth.

"Okay, I'll go with you…"

She blanched. That wouldn't work out at all. She didn't want to tell him anything about what she was planning to do until there was something to tell.

"No it's okay," she said, "I might take Lulu in with me."

"Lulu is a resourceful girl," he said, "but she can't protect you from Marquis."

She sighed.

"Really Houston, I can handle myself," she said, "I'll keep my eyes out for any sign of trouble."

He studied her face.

"Why don't you want me to come with you?"

She smiled.

"It's not that," she said, "I know you've got to meet with the security over this latest incident."

"Not badly enough to let you go to town unguarded," he said, "someone tried to run us over the last time we were there."

She sipped her juice.

"Okay fine," she said, "I'll borrow one of your security men, how about Zeke?"

Zeke seemed disinterested in anything that didn't appear threatening to him or anyone else. Surely that made him the perfect person to bring to watch her back from terrorists while she searched for a pregnancy test.

Matt nodded.

"I'll give him a call."

He did just that while C.J. went to get her things after washing her dishes. Matt stayed behind on the phone after calling Zeke to meet her in the paddock area. This morning's latest run in had been a serious wakeup call.

* * *

C.J. and Zeke drove into town and she told him after they left the car that she needed to do some errands.

"That's fine," he said, "I'll just come with you."

She shrugged and they walked into the general store where C.J. searched up and down each aisle but while the store was impressively well stocked with edibles and other items, there were no pregnancy tests. She went up to the clerk who was reading a gossip magazine. C.J. noted that in the top corner of the glossy rag that there was a photo of Matt in his Armani suit with a question mark across his face, with other words in bold black, stating "Millionaire Missing in Action?"

She smiled to herself while the clerk pointed absently outside the door when C.J. had asked her where the pharmacy was located. Zeke followed a few feet behind her, close enough just to provide visibility to anyone watching that she wasn't going to be an easy target.

He followed her into the pharmacy and she searched for the damn test and she actually found about four different brands in colorful boxes of pregnancy tests. But alas, they were locked up tight in the glass cabinet with the condoms and edible body paints. The latter aroused her interest but she decided she had better focus on the problem at hand first. She walked up to the clerk to ask her for some assistance.

"Excuse me…I need to buy an…"

The clerk, a young teenage boy, looked up from his comic book at her.

"You need what?"

C.J. looked around the pharmacy.

"Do you have a manager here," she said, "You know someone a bit…older."

He smiled and pushed his glasses off of his face.

"She's out on an errand and left me in charge," he said, "So what do you need?"

She tried to put on her most serious expression.

"I need a…test…"

His eyes brightened.

"What kind of test," he asked, "We stock them all here…for blood pressure…diabetes…"

"A pregnancy test…"

He smiled and then reached for his microphone behind the counter.

"Hey Suzy, we have someone needing a pregnancy test…aisle three…"

C.J.'s face turned red as she watched Suzy who was another clerk come out from the break room chewing on a wad of bubble gum and with her…Lulu. They both walked up to C.J. and Lulu's jaw dropped.

"You need a what….?"

C.J. sighed.

"You heard it Lulu," she said, "But I would appreciate it if you could do me a favor and just keep it between the two of us."

Lulu just nodded, speechless. Suzy took the key from her pocket and deftly unlocked the cabinet. She looked at C.J.

"Which one would you like," she said, "We have five different brands starting at 10 bucks a stick…"

C.J. looked critically.

"I think I'll take…several of them," she said, grabbing a few different brands.

Suzy and Lulu just looked at each other.

"I don't ask any questions," Suzy said, "I'm like so professionally detached in my job."

Lulu shrugged.

"I work with C.J. here," she said, "She's cool and she's got this gorgeous boyfriend and I thought you said you used something."

C.J. just remained silent.

"Didn't you like learn anything in health class," Suzy asked, "Jeb will take cash or plastic up front."

C.J. went up to pay and Lulu tailed behind her.

"So what are you going to tell him," Lulu said, "If you're knocked up."

C.J. just went to pay for the tests. She said goodbye to Lulu who said she would keep quiet about it before she returned to talk with Suzy. C.J. turned around to watch her go as she left the store and ran smack into a wall of muscle, dropping the bag in her hands to the ground.

Then she looked up at Slade.


	53. Chapter 53

Another chapter done of this FF story. I hope you enjoy it, thanks for reading and for the feedback!

* * *

He reached down to pick up her bag the same time that she did and they nearly bumped heads.

"I'll take that," she said.

Slade's hand reached her bag first and he picked it up. C.J. never took her eyes off of it or him.

"That's mine," she said, reaching for it.

He hesitated and she rolled her eyes.

"Don't play this game with me Slade…"

He shot her another look and then handed her the bag which she tucked under her arm. He took another look at Zeke who stood behind her with his arms folded.

"Who's this, your bodyguard?"

C.J. smiled.

"He works for Houston's security firm," she said, "He's my shadow until I get back to the ranch."

"So what's Matt doing today?"

C.J. rubbed her forehead.

"He's taking care of things with security," she said, "I had to come out here and do some errands."

"I can see that," he said, "You're carrying that bag like it's from Ft. Knox."

She looked down at it and shrugged.

"It's a surprise," she said, "I just had to pick it up."

He smiled at her.

"Hey you want to get some lunch," he asked.

She shook her head.

"No I got to head back," she said, "I'm already running late."

"Matt can wait for you a while longer?"

She sighed, exasperated.

"Maybe," she said, "but I can't wait to see him."

He just looked at her as she and Zeke headed back to the car. A short distance away a dark sedan sat parked but they paid no attention to it. Not that she really paid much attention to her surroundings like she should because all she could think about were the tests in her bag. She'd have to wait until first thing the following morning to try them out. She figured four tests would provide her with some definitive answers as to whether or not she had gotten herself pregnant. Then she would have to figure out how to tell Matt.

She was no longer a teenager and Matt wasn't Zack but she didn't know how he would react. He would never walk out on her but what would he do? And how would she tell him?

As they drove back to the ranch, she played those questions over and over again in her head.

* * *

Matt had talked to his security men and to an FBI agent back in L.A. There had been some more money funneled into the Swiss bank account and some records of prison escapes within the week of Marquis' own escape. An idea occurred to him and Matt asked if he could get a copy of the list of escapees. So he called up Dominic and asked him if he could access the master list and the security man said that he would work on it and get back to him.

After all, Marquis had to have someone helping him. Matt doubted that the man who had been behind the wheel of the dark sedan and who had been prowling around the ranch engaging in mayhem was actually the terrorist. No, he would have some hired hand to do his dirty work for him until he made his own grand appearance. He looked at his watch and noted that C.J. and Zeke had been out for several hours now but he trusted Zeke's experience and his skills. He knew the former federal agent would look after C.J. and hoped that she would allow it. She could be very headstrong but she never engaged in behavior that was reckless. In fact, she had put her intelligence and great instincts to use to save him on more than one occasion. He knew in most situations she could handle herself but everything had changed since they had gotten together.

He picked up his cell phone and called Hoyt, one person still in law enforcement that he knew he could trust.

"What's up Houston," his friend said immediately.

"Except for the peeping tom, not much."

"What did forensics find?"

Matt ran his hand through his hair.

"Nothing…not even a footprint…"

"Could she have imagined seeing him," Hoyt asked.

Matt knew he had just been asking a routine question.

"She's positive and I know she did," he said, "She said he might have looked familiar to her."

Hoyt paused.

"You mean someone she saw from her time on Marquis' island."

"She didn't think so Hoyt," Matt said, "But it could be someone else she or we've run into the past few years…from one of our cases."

"That's not going to be a small list Houston if you have to go through everyone."

"We can make it a lot smaller by starting out with anyone associated with a past case who just received a free "get out of jail" card."

"Good point," he said, "I'll have some of my best men cover the L.A. area…"

"Thanks Hoyt," Matt said, "Talk to you later."

* * *

C.J. looked out the window while Zeke drove them back to the ranch. He kept a close eye out for any strange vehicles but none popped up. She felt as if someone had been watching them in town but nothing looked out of the ordinary. When she had seen the guy staring in her kitchen window that morning, she saw something in his face that she recognized but poring through her mind, she drew a blank. Who was he, and what was his relationship with Marquis? She went through her memories to see if he could have been someone that she had seen during her stint on the island but nothing or no one in particular came to mind. Still her mind stewed over it a bit giving her some respite from thinking about having to take the pregnancy tests.

"Look I'm not going to tell him," Zeke started, "What happens to a bodyguard's charge that's private isn't revealed to anyone."

She smiled as she looked at him, knowing he took all parts of his job seriously.

"Thanks Zeke," she said, "I'm not trying to hide anything from Houston. I just want to be sure whether there's anything to tell him first."

He nodded noncommittally

"I hope it works out for you both," he said, "the way that you want."

She hoped so too.

Matt saw the two of them pull into the parking area and get out of the vehicle. She smiled at him but kept her distance and he saw that she held a bag underneath her arm. He walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her.

"I missed you."

She squeezed him back, mindful of her purchases.

"Let's go get some lunch," she said, "I'm starving."

He linked his arm in hers and they went inside the house.

"You didn't eat much this morning," he noted as they entered the living room.

"I'll make up for it now," she said, "I'll be back in a few."

She left him to go place the bag of tests in her room in the closet. They would have to wait until the next morning. When she walked into the kitchen, Matt stood by the counter making them some sandwiches from some left over roast beef. All the fixings rested on the table already.

"That looks delicious," she said, reaching for the pickles. She reached inside and plucked a couple of them before eating them. She closed her eyes savoring every morsel.

"Would you like some sandwich to go with them," Matt asked.

She opened her eyes, startled and then nodded.

"Of course," she said, and then added mustard, pickles, lettuce and more pickles.

Matt's eyes widened a bit but he said nothing, concentrating on his own sandwich. They took their food with some iced tea over to the table.

"So what did the security team say about the prowler this morning," she asked.

"They didn't find any trace of him," he said, "No prints, tracks or any sign anyone had been there."

C.J. sighed.

"Do they think I was imagining things?"

He shook his head.

"I think we all believe that Marquis is hiring men who are pros at this kind of thing."

"There was something familiar about this guy," she said, "but I know I didn't run into him on the island."

"We're doing database searches on anybody that escaped from jail or prison who had anything to do with one of our cases."

She nodded.

"That should shorten our enemy list a little bit."

Matt hoped so because he wanted to find out who the prowler was so they could catch him and then hopefully learn more about Marquis' plans. So far the wily terrorist hadn't shown his face but had clearly made his presence known.

"Has he sent you anything else," he asked.

"No, not lately."

* * *

Her phone rang and after seeing it was Sheila, she left Matt to take it in the living room.

"Slow work day," she asked.

"Hardly," Shelia groaned, "but I'm taking a lunch whether the boss likes it or not and I'm just dying to find out if you're…"

"I bought some…tests and that was a dreadful experience…Lulu, my teenage ranch hand found out."

"Wow, do you think she'll tell anyone?"

"She said she wouldn't but you never know with teenagers," C.J. said, "I did get some scolding on not protecting myself but I did. The damn pill's supposed to work."

"Nothing's foolproof, you know that and besides you haven't taken the tests so maybe it is working."

C.J. doubted that. Her body just felt so damn strange these days. Her appetite had gone up and down and why was she eating these foods she normally shunned? And her new dislike for eggs made her glum because she so dearly loved Matt's omelets. At least she had a few days ago.

"So you're going to get up bright and early and take it," Shelia asked.

"That's the plan," C.J. said, "I don't think I'm going to be able to sleep a wink tonight."

Sheila chuckled.

"We'll you've got company," she said, "I'm sure you can find ways to pass the long night."

"I don't know how I'm going to tell him," C.J. said, "I feel so awkward around him right now like he can see right through me."

"He can't do that."

"I know but he knows something's up," she said, "Considering I put half a jar of pickles in my sandwich."

"Ah that's a cliché craving," Sheila noted, "You should have gone for something more exotic."

"Well there's the oatmeal thing."

"That's really strange," Shelia said, "I mean you hate the stuff."

"Well I'd better get going," C.J. said, "We're having lunch and I've got some work to do after."

"Tell me when you know anything," Sheila said, "Better yet, bring your cell in the bathroom and we can do this live."

C.J. said bye and clicked off her phone. She returned to the kitchen where Matt washed off his dishes. She did the same then folded her arms and looked at him.

"Houston…can I ask you a question?"

He turned to face her and after reading the expression on her face, smiled.

"You can ask me anything," he said, "You know that."

She knew that about most questions but what about the one she needed to ask? He looked at her expectedly.

"What do you think the future holds for us," she said, "after Marquis is locked up in prison again?"

He looked at her thoughtfully.

"Life goes back to normal and we move forward," he said.

"You mean you'll be going back to L.A…"

He moved closer and put his hands around her waist drawing her closer.

"That's where my work is," he said, "and your job if you ever want to return to it."

She bit her lip looking up at him.

"Maybe…but I love my life here."

He caressed her hair back.

"There's no reason you can't live here and commute," he said, "That's what we used to do."

"I'd miss you too much," she admitted, "I've gotten used to having you around."

He smiled.

"Well I've enjoyed my vacation here very much," Matt said, "And I can stay here for a while if that's what you want."

She looked away.

"I'm not sure what I want," she said, "but I know I love you and I want you in my life."

"I'm right here," he said, "and I'm not going anywhere."

She smiled.

"Well I've got to go make sure that fence is holding in the south pasture," she said.

"Do you need help?"

She shook her head.

"I'll be fine," she said, "There's plenty of security out in that area isn't there?"

"Three men patrolling."

"Okay then I'm in good hands and I'll see you later."

She kissed him goodbye before walking out.

* * *

The day passed uneventfully and C.J. didn't see the security men but she sensed their presence. The fence looked sturdy enough that she knew she didn't have to worry about it. She looked over and saw several of Slade's older horses grazing and felt assured that they would stay on that side of the property line. She headed back to her horse, her head filled with thoughts which she tried to force out of her mind because she needed to focus on something else besides those pregnancy tests in her closet or she was going to go nuts.

She would find out soon enough if she would be starting her family some time before she originally planned. Not that she wouldn't be able to deal with having a child because she did know she wouldn't be alone. Matt would never walk out on her and any child they shared but she didn't want him to feel obligated to her. Their relationship still felt so new to her and she didn't know where it would be heading. How would a pregnancy impact its direction?

* * *

Not too far away, the man watched her. He had slipped through the security team easily enough. She looked as beautiful as he had remembered as she stood there, her back to him. He didn't think Matt lurked anywhere around and his impulse was to act. But he refused to do that, knowing he had to wait for just the perfect moment…

He heard some trampling in the brush behind him and turned to see his accomplice walking up to him.

"Be quiet," the man ordered him, "Do you want the guards to hear?"

The other man just shrugged.

"They're on the other side," he said, "You're right about the gap in their detail."

The first man nodded because after all he was the expert in these matters but kept his eyes focused on the woman who didn't seem to have heard his accomplice's noisy arrival.

"She's exactly like I pictured," the first man said.

The second man sniffed.

"Not my type," he said, "But she's much tougher to get at than you think. Her boyfriend won't let you close enough."

The first man said shook his head.

"I know how to get to him," he said, "This plan is just perfect."

"If you say so," he said, "I just hired hit men and sat back and enjoyed the show but they turned out to be total incompetents."

Marquis Duval smiled to himself knowing he didn't have that same problem. Some matters after all needed the personal touch.

* * *

The next morning, the sun rose but not soon enough for C.J. who had tossed and turned the entire night. She would have gotten up and paced the floor or the house or maybe outside but she didn't want Matt to awaken and ask her what was going on. They both had been tired after a day's work and had fallen asleep easily enough and she had too, wrapped up in his embrace.

But she hadn't stayed asleep long. She looked over at him where he slept peacefully, the sheet wrapped around his bare waist. Then she looked up and saw finally, a glimmer of sunlight pierce through the window. Okay, she knew she had to do the pregnancy test first thing in the morning but didn't know if that meant when the sun came up or one stroke past midnight but she felt pretty sure it was the latter, just to be safe. She crept out of the bed dressed in one of his shirts and went to the closet, rummaging for her tests. She tried not to make noise but she backed into the shoe rack and it hit the door.

"C.J…is that you?"

She froze and then poked her head out the door.

"It's just me Houston," she said, "You can go back to sleep."

She grabbed the bag and walked into the bathroom closing the door. Okay, she opened up a box here, another there, pulling out the instructions trying to figure out if she could ever decipher them in time. It all looked so damned confusing and she was a Harvard trained lawyer. She frowned as she read through the instructions. She followed the steps and then she waited, closing her eyes not wanting to look. Because if she did, then it would take longer for the tests to work kind of like watching a kettle boil. She knew she had read that somewhere.

Matt knocked on the bathroom door.

"Are you in there," he asked.

She shoved all the papers and boxes in the grocery bag and just kept the row of tests exactly where they were.

"I'll be out in…"

She looked at her watch's timer.

"Five minutes…"

She sighed and she waited and when she finally opened her eyes, she saw them all in a row and damned be it all, if they weren't all…different shades of the rainbow. Okay, she had to go back and match each device with the right box with the color schemes to figure this all out. Oh why did this have to be so complicated?

"I'm making some breakfast," she heard Matt say.

"That sounds great…"

She returned to her work at trying to figure out the results of her tests. Oh wait, pink meant…and purple, okay, that's two…and when she finished analyzing them all, she realized that they all said one thing. One of them even had the damned word written on the device in neon red.

She was most definitely pregnant.


	54. Chapter 54

An update to this FF story is up! I hope you enjoy it and thanks for reading and the feedback!

* * *

She sat in the bathroom with the pregnancy tests all on the tile floor. In all different colors, all pretty much saying the same thing. That she was pregnant as a result of her interlude with her best friend who was now making them breakfast in the kitchen and in a matter of months she was having his baby. A rush of emotions hit her at once so fast she almost fainted on the floor, coming much quicker than she could begin to process the news. She couldn't even sort them all her feelings out, they were so intertwined with one another. Not hyperventilating would be a good place to start.

At that point, her cell phone rang. She looked around the bathroom for it, knowing that she had brought it with her and had put it down somewhere. After following the noise, she found it under several empty boxes and dug it out.

"Hello, Sheila is that you?"

"The one and only," her friend said, "You're up early this morning."

C.J. sighed, still trying to get her breathing under control.

"I had some tests to take," she said.

"Did you pass?"

"It depends on what you mean by that."

Sheila chuckled.

"I just want to know if I'm going to be a godmother or not."

C.J. grew silent.

"Is that a yes or a no?"

"Well the positives outnumber negatives by about six to zero," C.J. said.

Sheila greeted the news happily enough.

"So you're pregnant, then."

"I guess I am," C.J. said, "It's just such a shock. I never saw this one coming at all."

"That's what you get for sleeping in health class."

"That's not what I mean and you know it."

"Oh this is the best kind of surprise," Sheila said, "Matt's a good man and he'll be a great father."

C.J. didn't doubt that and she knew inside that she had wanted him to father her children even before she would ever admit it to herself. Still the timing…they hadn't even been together that long and were still trying to feel their way through their changing relationship. A child could test any relationship even a truly committed one and she and Matt, well they still had to work through the challenges their careers and lives brought them on a daily basis. What kind of world would that be for a child?

On the other hand, she knew he would love their child as deeply as she did and would want to build a family in the midst of the chaos of their lives. But this quickly, she asked herself, how would they work it out? Still, she couldn't deny to herself that the news had its good points.

"I'm really happy," she said softly, and she knew she spoke the truth but she still felt overwhelmed too.

"This is just taking some time to get used to and I don't know how he'll take it."

Sheila harrumphed.

"He'll be very happy about it," she said, "and you're in love with each other, so what's the problem?"

C.J.'s pragmatic side emerged because after all, so much had been going on the past few weeks including the return of a dangerous enemy from their past who had his sights trained on them.

"Besides a terrorist who's out there trying to get revenge on us," she said, "We've just gotten together and it still feels so new. ..I've loved him most of my life but I never thought we would ever get together."

Sheila chuckled knowingly.

"Oh I knew that you two would figure it out eventually," she said, "It took you long enough. So when's the wedding?"

"The what?"

"You know he's going to want to get married," Sheila said, "so his child has a name."

True, C.J. thought and she couldn't wrap her mind around all that right now with everything that had been going on including the attempts against their lives by an old enemy.

"Things are just so dangerous right now," C.J. said, "I don't want to expose a child to that."

"He or she will have two parents watching to make sure they're safe," Sheila reasoned, "And you've got family and friends too."

C.J. knew that but she still felt more than a little bit of fear beyond just their present danger. But she knew she would have to face it now because the new life that her body nurtured depended on that.

"So what's to worry about," Sheila said, "They'll catch this Marquis character and then you two can live happily ever after and build your family."

"Maybe I shouldn't tell him right now," C.J. said, "With Marquis running around, Houston needs his focus to be on looking out for him."

"Don't you dare keep it to yourself," Sheila admonished, "You get your butt into breakfast right now and you tell the man you love the good news."

C.J. thought about it and decided that her friend was right.

* * *

Matt waited in the kitchen for a few minutes after he had made C.J. some of her oatmeal and himself one of his prize-winning omelets. He had plenty of cayenne peppers for the both of them to accentuate their respective breakfasts. Finally he heard some footsteps and looked up to see her standing in the doorway watching him. He rushed to get her food and utensils for the table that he had set.

"I see you've cooked quite a spread," she noted.

He smiled at her.

"I got you some of that oatmeal," he said, "complete with the peppers."

She chuckled when she saw the expression on his face as he handed her breakfast to her.

"I know it's a bit strange Houston," she said, sitting down, "but it tastes pretty good."

He looked uncertain.

"I'll take your word for it," he said, digging into his omelet.

She sipped her freshly squeezed orange juice.

"Houston…"

Suddenly Bo and Lamar rushed in and Matt sighed, wondering if they were going to tell them that Beulah the escape artist had gotten loose again.

"What's up guys?"

Bo looked at Lamar.

"Is it Beulah again?"

They shook their heads.

"No she's in her sty eating her breakfast," Bo said, "Including some of the apples Lulu and Dylan picked yesterday."

C.J. sighed.

"That's a relief," she said, "I'm going to need to go out the stable to fix some curtains and I think I'll take Lulu with me."

Matt looked at her.

"Alone?"

She snorted at him.

"Houston, we'll be fine," she said, "There's plenty of security in that area right?"

Matt knew that to be the case but he also knew that there were enough indications that either Marquis or some accomplices had been running around the ranch. And so far they had remained undetected.

"I've got to pick up some things in town," he said.

That aroused C.J.'s curiosity.

"What are you getting," she asked.

He winked at her.

"It's a surprise," he said, "and you won't get it out of me."

She folded her arms.

"I wouldn't think of trying," she said, "Just be back soon. I need to talk to you about something."

He caught something in her voice.

"Anything I need to know now?"

She looked at him and Bo and Lamar who still stood there and then shook her head.

"It can wait until later."

"If you're sure…"

She smiled at him.

"It's okay really," she said, "We'd both better run along and get our work done because the sooner we do that…"

He picked it up.

"The sooner we can get together," he said, "Gotcha."

After they finished breakfast and cleared the tables, they walked into the living room and he took her into his arms and kissed her. She felt his warmth against her and she wrapped her arms around his waist, inhaling his scent as his lips lingered over hers.

His phone rang. She pulled free and looked at him.

"Houston…"

"Just let it ring…"

"It might be important," she said, "and I want to get an early start."

He nodded.

"I'll see you later," he said, "later this afternoon."

"Sure thing," she said, smiling, "I can't wait to see what your surprise is."

And boy did she have one of her own for him, she thought. He caressed her hair back.

"I'm sure you'll like it."

She started for the door to go find Lulu and he almost stopped her from going. At least for a few more minutes but his phone kept ringing and she slipped out the door and was gone.

He sighed, reaching for his phone and saw an unknown ID displayed.

"Hello, this is Houston."

"Hello Mr. Houston," the voice said, "It's been a long time."

Damn if the voice didn't sound familiar to him but he couldn't remember from where.

"Who is this…"

"That's not important right now," the voice said, "I have information that might help you find who you are looking for."

* * *

C.J. walked out to the barn happily, feeling much better than she did sitting in the bathroom. She knew that she loved him and that he loved her and somehow they would work it all out between them. She rubbed her abdomen where her baby grew and went to find Lulu.

Lulu sat in the barn talking with Dylan but when she saw C.J., she whispered something to her friend and walked on over.

"Are you ready to go," C.J. asked her.

Lulu nodded and then eyed C.J. closer.

"Are you…"

"I don't think I want to talk about that right now Lulu."

Lulu nodded.

"I get it," she said, "You want to tell Matt first that he knocked you up. I don't think he's like that other creep who dumped you after you thought you were pregnant last time…"

C.J. gritted her teeth beneath a smile. She really didn't need her relationship history recited by a teenager.

"Let's talk about something else," she said, "I see that you and Dylan are friends again."

Lulu snorted.

"We never weren't," she said, "I just am like so over him. I met a cute guy whose family just moved to town. Jeb the guy in the drug store introduced us."

"That's nice Lulu," she said, "Like I said, there's more fish in the sea."

Lulu nodded as they went to saddle their horses.

"Should you be riding…?"

"I'll be fine," C.J. said, "We'd better get going…"

* * *

Matt listened incredulously on the phone.

"Who the hell are you," he asked.

"Just someone who is willing to help you find out where your friend Marquis Duval has been hiding all this time," the man said, "You know he's gunning for you and your…girlfriend."

Matt remained silent not willing to give anything away while he tried to place this man's voice.

"Okay so what do you know about Marquis' whereabouts?"

The man chuckled.

"Nice try but you're going to have to come to me for that information," the man said.

"Now why did I know you were going to say that?"

"Because you're a smart man Mr. Houston," the man said, "I'm staying in a motel in town and I'll meet you in a public place so we'll both feel safer."

"How do I know I can trust that you know anything," Matt asked.

"I guess you'll have to find that out when you arrive here," the man said, "It's your only chance of getting Marquis before he implements his master plan."

Matt hesitated.

"C.J.'s life might depend on it," the man continued, "Do you want to be responsible if anything happens to her?"

"Leave her out of this," Matt said, "This is going to be just between Marquis and me if he's got the guts to actually meet face to face rather than stick to hiding in the shadows."

"We both know he's just biding his time Mr. Houston," the man reasoned, "You'll see his face soon enough and if you don't have my information, it will be the last thing you see and it will also be the last thing she sees."

Matt's heart clenched. He couldn't take the chance of anything happening to her. Okay, he would meet with this man but walk in prepared for trouble. And tell his security men to keep an extra close eye on C.J and the ranch until he returned, hopefully armed with information to get Marquis.

"I'll meet you in an hour," he said, finally.

The man gave him the address.

* * *

C.J. and Lulu rode their horses to the stable and tied them up close to the dwelling.

"Why do you need curtains anyway," Lulu asked.

"To give the place a nice touch," C.J. said, "and it will help cool the place down on hot days in case you need to…do business there."

She smiled to herself as she said that knowing that the office in the back had other uses, not that Lulu needed to know that. Who knows, maybe it had been during that afternoon they had spent there during the monsoon that had resulted in their pending little one's conception. If so, then this whole thing had been her fault because she had seduced him first after all.

Lulu walked past the stalls to the back and didn't look all that impressed. C.J. pointed out the photos and the trophies which looked all polished now where they stood on display.

"What's this place for anyway," Lulu said, looking around, "I mean I know it's an office but it's got a cot and a smaller room."

"It's where a groom would live if we had one," C.J. said, "but Matt used it mainly to store his family's things."

The younger girl nodded.

"Are you going to be ready," she asked.

"For what?"

Lulu hesitated.

"Wait I hear something."

C.J. listened and she did too. Two pair of footsteps had just entered the building. Maybe security guards coming to check on them? She and Lulu looked at each other as they grew closer.

"Who's there," C.J. finally called.

But no one answered though outside the door, someone waited.

* * *

Matt hit the town limits and started for the diner from the parking lot, wondering what this stranger who might be anything but had to tell him. He didn't hear the man approach from behind him and then prepare to strike him with an object. But something tugged at his gut and he swung around just as a flashlight nearly bashed his head.

He dodged it and his eyes widened as he saw who swung it.

A real blast from the past as it turned out named Jonathan Rensfield.


	55. Chapter 55

The next update for this story is up! Hope you enjoy it, thanks for reading and the feedback!

* * *

Chapter 55

* * *

Matt looked up at his assailant in disbelief. Just when you thought the past had been the past, it could really come back and bite you on the…

Jonathan glared and tried to throw another punch at Matt but the investigator ducked it and that just frustrated the former comedian even more.

"You should have killed me when you had the chance," Jonathan taunted.

But no, Matt had settled for breaking Jonathan's nose the first time the two had clashed and then later on, he had just given him another beating before Jonathan was trucked back to prison again. Both encounters had been traced to C.J. which just ticked Matt off all the more. Anyone who came after the people he loved was just asking for it and by the time Matt caught up to them, they got it. And if anyone came after his best friend, that just went double.

Matt had been the subject of a handful of police probes into assault and battery but nothing ever came about from them because they had always been ruled self-defense even when the crooks had been hauled away in ambulances.

Jonathan got in a couple more punches and Matt finally grabbed him from behind disabling both of his arms. He threw him against the wall and then started throwing punches of his own at the man he frankly had seen too much of in his lifetime.

Crack, and again Jonathan reached for his nose as the blood started to flow down his face.

"You broke it again," he screamed.

Matt just shook his head, trying to contain his anger and barely hanging onto it.

"I don't think I broke it," he said, "but I will in a minute if you don't start answering my questions."

Jonathan spit out some blood.

"I think you just broke a tooth."

"I'm going to break more than that if you don't tell me about Marquis and what he's planning."

Jonathan looked up at Matt.

"Marquis, Marquis who," he asked, "You don't mean the fashion designer."

Matt sighed, pulling his fist back.

"No I don't mean the fashion designer," he said, "I mean the escaped terrorist but you already know that."

Jonathan's eyes widened when he saw Matt prepare to throw another swing his way.

"Okay…yes…I was in prison as you know since you put me there…twice…and he threw some cash and got someone to spring me…but for a price."

"He wanted you to help him come after me."

"You're so smart Mr. Houston," Jonathan noted, "but you're not that smart."

"We'll talk about my intelligence later," Matt said, "I want to know where Marquis is now and I can find him."

Jonathan grinned in a way that hinted to Matt he was more than a little bit crazy.

"Why that's easy," he said, "He's back on your ranch of course while you're here with me…"

And with that admission, Matt knew that he had been tricked.

* * *

"What's going on," Lulu asked.

C.J. listened for more signs of a trespasser, one that she sensed was present but she couldn't be sure. Something just seemed out of place.

"Lulu, maybe we better just leave."

And that's when they saw that the doorway was blocked by a familiar figure standing there with a gun drawn.

"Marquis…"

He smiled at her, the gun not wavering.

"Ah, Ms C.J. Parsons," he said, "I see we meet again. It's been a long time."

"Not long enough…"

He gestured to Lulu.

"Who's she," he said, "Someone who works for you?"

C.J. watched the terrorist carefully, every move that he made. Their eyes never leaving each other as he stepped closer.

"I believe we'll be alone for a while," he said, "Why don't we all make ourselves comfortable?"

She glared at him.

"Houston will be…"

He raised his hand.

"Mr. Houston is indisposed at the moment," he said, "I believe he's bumped into another old friend by now."

She jumped at those words but tried to act casual.

"And who would that be?"

"Well since you're not going to be alive by the time I leave, I might as well tell you," he said, "I recruited your old acquaintance Jonathan Rensfield to handle Houston."

Her eyes widened at the mention of the name.

"I can see your surprise Ms Parsons," Marquis said, "Rest assured that I pick only the best to assist me in my efforts."

She snorted.

"Jonathan the best," she said, "You've lost your touch if that's the case."

His face became ugly and he grabbed her arm and jammed his gun in her side.

"You'd better not be saying such rude things," he said, "I'm in control of this situation and you and Houston will pay for what you did to me and my son."

She tried to not tense in his grasp.

"And where is your sun these days," she asked.

Marquis's face became more enraged.

"I promised him that I would see you both dead," he said, "Your blood spilling on the floor and both of you begging for your lives to be spared."

C.J. knew that he meant it. That he intended to kill her and Matt. But what about Lulu?

"Okay you're upset with the two of us," she said, "but please let Lulu go. She's got no part in this and never did anything to you."

He shook his head.

"She's already seen too much."

"She's just a teenager Marquis," C.J. said, "Just let her go and I'll stay here."

He looked indecisive for a moment and while he thought about it, C.J. tried quickly to formulate a plan of action.

* * *

Matt just wanted to hammer into Jonathan who brought out anger in him he didn't know was there but he needed him conscious to use to get to Marquis. If it was true and the terrorist was back on the ranch…Matt didn't want to think about that but he needed more answers.

"I doubt he made it far if he tried that…"

Despite the blood, Jonathan chuckled which made him look almost maniacal.

"He took care of your so-called security team by creating a diversion," he said, "That left C.J. unprotected when she went to the stable."

Matt's heart fell in the pit of his stomach. So they had been keeping a close eye on what he and C.J. had been doing all this time.

"How many people does he have…?"

Jonathan just looked at him and Matt prepared to throw another punch. Suddenly another man ran up to him.

"Matt what are you doing?"

Slade, naturally had shown up. Matt turned his head to look at the rancher.

"I'm going to kick this guy's ass til Tuesday if he doesn't tell me more about Marquis' plan."

"Who?"

"Marquis, the escaped terrorist who's coming after C.J. and me."

Slade's expression changed.

"You mean this guy works for him?"

Matt wiped his face.

"He did," he said, "but now he's going to jail.

* * *

Marquis shifted his body and that's when C.J. acted. She lunged towards him and the gun, knocking it out of his hand. She turned quickly to face Lulu.

"Run, get out of here and get help."

Lulu just stared at her dumbly.

"Hurry…"

The teenager finally found her legs and ran out of the stable towards her horse. By the time C.J. was able to focus on Marquis; he had his gun and swung it against her head knocking her to the ground. C.J. saw stars and then darkness. As her awareness faded, she thought of Matt and the life that grew within her.

Matt drove back to the ranch with Slade sitting beside him. The sheriff had shown up with a couple of deputies to handle Jonathan who didn't offer much resistance. He tried to question Matt but Matt had just headed to his truck with Slade trying to ask him questions.

"Why don't you let him handle it?"

Because Matt knew that Marquis was too smart for the county sheriffs and he got on the phone to call for the backup who could apprehend Marquis. That is, if Matt didn't kill him first.

"I've got to do it my own way until they get here," Matt said, "If Marquis sees them there, he'll kill her."

Meaning C.J. who no doubt had already ran into him if he had gone to the stable where she had ridden with Lulu. Marquis wouldn't hesitate to kill a teenager just for being in the wrong place at the wrong time and thus a witness. He had reached Hoyt who had assured him that the feds and anti-terrorist units would head out to the ranch as quickly as possible.

Matt just hoped it would be soon enough and realized that it might just come down to a final showdown between just Marquis and him.

"What can I do to help," Slade asked.

Matt looked over at him.

"You can do what I tell you and stay out of the way."

They sped back to the ranch.

* * *

C.J.'s eyes opened and slowly they focused; causing the blurriness which greeted her to sharpen into images that shown that it hadn't all been a bad dream. Standing in front of her really was Marquis Duval the escaped terrorist.

She reached to her forehead where she felt pain and a wave of dizziness hit her. Praying that her baby was safe, she whispered a promise to him or her that after this, life wouldn't be so chaotic. But first she had to get away from Marquis before he had time to deliver on his threat to kill her and Matt.

"I'm sorry I had to hit a lovely creature like yourself," Marquis said, "but your antics left me no choice and just postponed the inevitable."

She sighed, fighting another wave of dizziness.

"At least Lulu escaped…"

He smiled evilly.

"Ah, then she can come back with Houston and then the games can really get started."

She gritted her teeth.

"He's going to kill you."

He smirked.

"I highly doubt that Ms. Parsons," he said, "This time I will truly have the upper hand on him. But decisions…decisions…"

She listened to him recite a speech he had clearly begun practicing inside a jail cell while she tried to figure out what to do.

"I have to decide whether to kill you both quickly with a bullet to the head or more slowly….and in which order…"

"I would have thought you being a highly organized terrorist leader that you would have had that all planned out," she said, "You must be slipping Marquis."

He frowned slightly.

"Hardly," he said, "After all, I have you captive and Matt's on his way on a tear I'm sure…I knew he'd make short work of Jonathan."

"I wouldn't be surprised by that."

Marquis chuckled.

"Of course my dear," he said, "That was part of my plan all along."

"Yeah I'm sure it was," C.J. said, to buy herself time, to keep him talking.

"The rest of what I have planned for both you and Matt will have to await his arrival," Marquis said, looking at his watch, "which should be fairly soon."

C.J. figured that he was right in that Matt was on his way but he was moving towards a trap and she had no way to warn him.

* * *

Matt stopped his vehicle short near the barn and he and Slade jumped out of the car. Bo and Lamar lumbered up to them.

"Where's C.J.?"

The two hands looked at each other.

"She's still at the stable," Bo guessed, "She hasn't returned with Lulu but there were reports of a fire breaking out on the government land north of the lake."

That must be the diversion Jonathan had mentioned, Matt thought but why would his security team leave?

Bo read his mind.

"Zeke called and said that he and the other men in the detail got stranded on the other side, don't know what they were doing there."

Matt ran his hand through his hair. Great, that meant that they would be unable to help him once he reached the stable.

"Come on," he said, to Slade as they went to the barn to get some horses.

"You're asking me to come along?"

Matt shot him a look.

"I don't have much of a choice."

Slade sighed.

"I want to make sure they're safe too," he said, "I'll help you and won't get in the way."

Suddenly they heard a storm of hoof beats and looked up to see Lulu riding towards them like a bat out of…somewhere hot.

"Where's C.J.," Matt said, when Lulu reined into a quick stop.

The girl was clearly out of breath.

"Some man came in with a gun and while she struggled with him, she told me to run so I did."

Matt looked towards the direction of the stable.

"She must still be there with him," he said, "Listen Lulu, stay here with the hands and Slade and I are going to go fetch her."

Lulu looked uncertain.

"He wants you to come so he can kill you."

"I know that but I'm not going to let that happen," he said, "I'm going to get the jump on him okay?"

She nodded, trying to fight back tears.

"Okay, go get him then."

Matt and Slade headed off to the barn to saddle their horses to do just that.

* * *

Marquis looked at his watch as the sky began to darken.

"That's from the fire my men set before I came here," he said, "It was enough to put Houston's security men out of commission."

She just stared at him, trying to ward to steady herself. She felt waves of dizziness and wondered if the blow to her head had given her a concussion.

"I suspect since I haven't heard from Jonathan that he's on his way here," Marquis said, "get up on your feet."

She tried to get up to stand but felt unsteady. He grabbed her by her arm and she tried to pull away from him.

"It won't be long now my darling," he said.

* * *

Matt rode as fast as he could and it took Slade everything he had to keep up with him. So many thoughts and visions ran through Matt's mind of everything that could happen, what he didn't know, places his mind didn't want to go. He urged his horse faster and they neared the stable where he pulled his horse to a stop. Slade did too and Matt motioned at him to dismount here some distance away from the stable behind a throng of trees. This way, they could observe it without being seen.

"He must be still inside," Matt noted.

Slade nodded.

"So what are we going to do?"

"We're going to have to find a way to get closer…"

Then Matt looked up to see the familiar sight of the terrorist who had wreaked havoc in his life once before, and once again, he had C.J. in his grip right in front of him.

Matt thought quickly about what to do next.


	56. Chapter 56

another chapter of this story is up! Hope you enjoy it, thanks for reading and the feedback!

* * *

Matt crept up to the stable from behind the trees and motioned Slade to follow slowly behind him. He pulled out his gun to have it ready. He had been in this position before having to deal with violent men who tried to harm the people that he loved to get to him. Part and parcel of the life he had chosen for himself as a private investigator who tackled some pretty ugly cases. When he had stuck to being a high rising business man, he had taken risks but they had been with his money not the lives of himself and others. The most he could lose if he made the wrong decisions were several million dollars or so and more often than not, his business acumen and experience, not to mention the lessons learned at his daddy's knee, had kept that from happening.

But when it came to his hobby turned profession, he dealt with human lives rather than cold hard cash. His father had tried to warn him about that. So had his business employee Murray and his brother Myron, not to mention various women he had relationships with over the years. The social columnists and radio show deejays had shaken their heads over the idea of a multi-millionaire and businessman extraordinaire running around trying to save the world. Who did this man think he was and what in the hell had he been thinking?

Well, right now he thought of the woman he loved, the one he had been too stupid to recognize had been in front of him working alongside him the whole time. At least until she had felt pushed aside and had gone up and bought up his ranch from under him and had worked very hard to make it her own. And then what had he done, he had gone up and after Marquis had escaped, come to occupy her new world and try to find a place in it mostly because he had missed her so damn much.

And they had created a new one where both could share it and that had been the best of all. But now the crazed terrorist from their past had come to throw a wrench in it due to his overwhelming drive for revenge. Well Matt had come to the point where he had enough of him and everyone else trying to ruin his life and hurt his loved ones. It was time to bring this ordeal to an end.

He gestured to Slade and the man nodded and came up behind him. Matt turned towards him.

"Marquis is armed, I'm armed and you're not," he said, "You better wait here for a few minutes."

"I'm not going to let him just kill either one of you," Slade protested.

"Slade, don't take this the wrong way," Matt said, "but Marquis is deadly and he'll shoot you dead as soon as he sees you."

"I won't let that happen," Slade said, "Besides the men trained to do this aren't here right now and I am."

Matt couldn't argue against that and finally nodded.

"Okay then, wait for my signal."

He moved away from Slade and closed in on the stable, weighing each step carefully as not to give his presence there away to the latest man to hold a gun on C.J.

C.J. felt so many things at once as she stood next to Marquis who had his gun on her as they waited for Matt or the Calvary to arrive. Her head really hurt and she felt dizzy, her muscles ached and she felt frightened, mostly for Matt who she felt might be walking into an ambush. She felt the life she had lived and the one she wanted so badly slipping out of reach and that pissed her the hell off. How dare this loser threaten to kill her and her baby. She rested her hand gently over her abdomen and decided that everything seemed okay on her front but she apologized to the little one anyway for this mess and silently promised she would get them both out of it.

"My darling, he will be arriving here soon to rescue you."

She turned towards him.

"Why couldn't you just be satisfied writing letters to your son," she said, "You're just going to wind up dead or back in prison and I don't care which."

He chuckled as he stroked her hair and she flinched. She hated his hands on her. She had enough of his nastiness the first time she had spent a few days with him. If he thought he was getting into her pants before he killed her, he was dead wrong. She had a few tricks of her own. Boy she was pissed off and getting more so by the second. This was her damned ranch that they both stood on, the ground below them belonged to her. She had worked days in the heat, riding and walking all over it to fix it up just right to debut at her housewarming party for all her friends. She hadn't been working all the time thanks to Matt who had corrupted her work ethic by sweeping her off her feet and into bed. But wait a minute there; she had started the whole thing inside the stable during that storm by jumping into his arms. He had just been returning the favor.

But she loved him so it had been more than okay and that had been way before she had told him. She realized now that if that damned psycho killer hadn't broken up his wedding to his last fiancée Elizabeth, she might have done the deed herself. Especially since he hadn't gotten the hint when she had tried to tell him earlier after his astute uncle had pointed out the obvious to her.

"I don't have to write him now," Marquis said, "I can do better by carrying out his important work…after I kill the both of you of course."

She frowned.

"That's not going to happen," she said, "In fact, Marquis it's going to be you who dies if anyone."

His gross fingers touched her hair again and lingered on her shoulder.

"It's a real shame we can't spend more time together," he said, "I so enjoyed you on the island."

She grew indignant despite the circumstances.

"We didn't do anything I found enjoyable," she said, "And Matt spoiled your planned fun then just like he will do now."

Marquis laughed louder.

"I doubt that my darling," he said, "Where is he anyway?"

C.J. gazed around with her eyes and since she knew the land much better than her captor did, she detected something that appeared out of place about 10 yards away near some trees and saw Matt closing in on the stable. She smiled at that and looked at Marquis.

"He's going to come here and snap your neck like a twig."

"I don't think so," Marquis said, "but if he tries, that might make me kill him quicker than I'd like."

Matt caught the last few words of that as he had neared the structure and then had moved around to where he hid behind Marquis. He thought that C.J. might have seen him coming but hadn't been sure. She looked calm considering the circumstances but then she handled dangerous situations very well. Never allowing them to throw her or push her off balance. Damn he wanted to end this ordeal and get her out of there. Soon enough, he told himself as he crouched. Slade had gone around the other side to get a better look. Matt wondered where the trained folks were that were supposed to back him up. But he could do without them if he had to because he had to get to Marquis before time ran out.

* * *

He started to approach but then stepped on a damn twig which crackled under his boot. Marquis heard it and spun around still holding the gun on C.J. Matt saw that she appeared to be fine except for a bruise on her face where Marquis must haves struck her at some point. Maybe when she had distracted him so that Lulu could escape. She just looked at him as he pulled out his gun on Marquis.

"Let her go Marquis," Matt ordered.

Marquis just looked at him and laughed.

"Greetings Mr. Houston, it's been a long time…"

"Not long enough," Matt grumbled.

"I got out of that prison you put me in and thought since I was in the neighborhood, I'd drop by."

Matt gritted his teeth and kept his gun steady.

"Let her go Marquis and we can talk this over like grown men."

Marquis looked at C.J.

"I was just telling her that it was a shame we couldn't more fully enjoy our brief together," he said, "but work comes first as it always does."

Matt tightened his grip on his gun. It was all he could take not to pull the trigger and blow this sociopath away but he couldn't risk harming C.J. He would have to bide his time and wait for Marquis to get himself comfortable and relax a bit too much. Then he would have no problem taking him out.

"She offered herself to me on the island," Marquis said, "but alas, you showed up and crashed the party."

Matt looked directly at his enemy.

"Yeah I believe that's when Vince and I double crossed your son and put him back in jail where he belonged."

If Marquis was perturbed by that, he covered it with a smile.

"We knew that you would do that," he said, "That's why we were waiting for you."

Matt sighed.

"Marquis why don't you just give yourself up," he said, "You can't win here. You make one move against her and I'll shoot you dead and leave you here for the coyotes to eat."

"How nicely put Mr. Houston," Marquis said, "but I hold all the cards here."

"Hardly," Matt said, "Jonathan Rensfield your hired henchman is sitting in police custody probably spilling everything he knows to the cops. You didn't pick your help very well."

Marquis shrugged.

"It's the best I could do on short notice," he said, "and I know he hates you for ruining his plans twice and for the beatings you gave him for daring to harm your C.J."

Matt clenched his jaw. It's not like Jonathan hadn't been warned and Marquis had been as well, he noted. One way or another, both would get exactly what they deserved and he couldn't wait to have a hand in it.

"He deserved what he got," Matt said, "Just like you'll deserve it just for coming here."

Marquis shook his head.

"It's you who will die," he said, "for keeping me from my son. If you had a child, I would do the same to you and that would be the best revenge but you're not serious about the things that truly matter like family."

"I'm not taking any lessons from family by a scumbag like you," Matt said.

"I have only to work with a bachelor who plays the field and strings women along," Marquis said, "who will die alone because he won't have a family of his own. Killing you might actually be doing you a great kindness."

Matt suppressed a smile.

"Do you think you can do anything kind," he said, "but no thanks, I'm not taking any advice from you about family."

"You'll die without having a son to carry on your name," Marquis said, "and your family line like my own will end."

Matt guessed by those words that Marquis jr. had been an only child. C.J. looked at Marquis and thought, what a damned sexist because her baby could just as easily be a girl. But she had to get them both out of there.

"Why don't you let me worry about that," Matt said, "and you can concentrate on worrying about your own future which will look a little brighter if you let her go."

* * *

C.J. listened to them talking back and forth, bargaining over her life. Marquis wanted nothing more than to kill her and Matt. Matt wanted Marquis to let her go so that they could then fight each other to decide who would live and who would die. She had to do something to help even the odds in Matt's favor. After all, she had no intention of dying. She had a life to protect inside of her and she had Matt to protect as well. Having found her family at last, she had no intention of giving it up.

But now that she had decided that, what would she do?


	57. Chapter 57

Chapter 57-Here's the latest chapter. I hope you enjoy it and thanks for reading and the feedback!

* * *

C.J. felt her legs begin to cramp and the nausea begin to hit her stomach. Marquis still held a tight grip on her arm and it annoyed the hell out of her. Yes, she felt frightened too but that wouldn't help her now. Marquis needed to just die or go back to his prison cell. She saw Matt standing there and she thought she saw another man in the bushes.

Marquis hadn't seen this other person.

"Houston, where's that security detail that you had surrounding your ranch now," Marquis snickered, "They gave me quite a bit of trouble when I first arrived here but they're nowhere to be found now."

Matt kept his aim firmly on Marquis and wished he could just pick him off in one shot but Marquis used C.J. like a shield.

"You try to shoot me, you'll hit her instead."

"Hiding behind a woman," Matt said, "I never thought you were the type Marquis. Even your son didn't do that."

Marquis frowned and his grip grew tighter, which though it felt painful, gave C.J. some satisfaction that Matt had gotten under the terrorist's skin.

"Yeah I thought women were the weaker sex," C.J. said, "and you're nothing but a coward."

He shook her after she said that and she thought for a moment he might hit her again but he didn't.

"Maybe I'll just shoot him dead right in front of you," he said, reaching his gun up again, "and dispense with these pleasantries."

C.J. looked over at Matt and then at Marquis.

"But you need him," she said, "Remember you said you wanted to kill him slowly."

"I said I was undecided about that," Marquis said, "and he's worn out my good will. We don't need him. We can have plenty of fun between the two of us before I kill you."

She recoiled at that but she had to appear as if he weren't getting to her even as he tried to probe past her defenses. He knew that her weakness was Matt just as he knew that Matt's Achilles heel had always been those that he loved especially her. After all, that was how Marquis had manipulated Matt into doing what he wanted at least until Matt had gotten the upper hand.

Marquis raised his hand again, the gun aimed straight at Matt.

"Goodbye Mr. Houston…"

C.J. had just watched helplessly and screamed the last time she had heard those words several years ago but she was in a much different place now. She moved on Marquis when his head was turned and after clenching her hand in a fist, she struck the arm that held the gun with everything she had inside her. The force of the blow reverberated through her own body and he had swung around and grabbed her by the hair flinging her on the ground. She landed hard and out of the corner of her eye, she saw the firearm lying a few feet away. Marquis flung himself on top of her and put his hands around her throat, almost as if he had forgotten about Matt.

But Matt hadn't forgotten about him and sprinted on over to where they struggled. C.J. tried to crawl away from Marquis towards the gun and he grabbed her again, trying to flip her over on her back. Dizziness hit her again and pain in her head as she fought to get him off of her. Finally she inched forward and grabbed the gun in one hand and then tried to maneuver herself back where she could aim it at him.

At that point, Matt reached down and flung Marquis against the side of the stable, almost hard enough to knock him out and pressed his own gun against the side of his head. Marquis eyes rolled back and he looked at him, chuckling.

"You won't kill me."

Matt pressed the gun harder against his head.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't put a bullet through your head right now," he said.

Marquis struggled and Matt clicked the safety off.

"You move an inch, you'll be splattered all over that nice wall," Matt said, "C.J. worked really hard painting it and I would hate to mess it up."

Finally, several FBI agents and local sheriff deputies rushed up as did Slade. Several of them pulled Marquis and slammed him face first in the wall so they could handcuff him.

"Put leg irons on too," Matt said, wiping his face, "He's an escape artist."

As they led Marquis away, he sputtered and gazed at Matt hatefully.

"You will pay for this Houston…"

Matt just looked at him, feeling suddenly fatigued.

"Why don't you give it a rest Marquis," he said, "and just sit and jail and do your 200 and some years peacefully okay?"

"It will be more time now," one FBI agent said helpfully.

Matt just nodded and immediately went towards C.J. who sat up holding her abdomen. He knelt beside her.

"Are you okay," he asked, caressing her hair back off her face.

She winced.

"I have one hell of a headache…I feel dizzy and…"

Matt didn't wait to hear the rest but looked up at Slade.

"Call the paramedics," he said, "We need to get her to a hospital."

Slade just stared at him.

"Now," Matt said, gathering her in his arms.

Slade took off. Matt looked down at C.J. who had closed her eyes. He squeezed her closer to him.

"Now don't fall asleep, okay? Can you stay awake for me?"

"I don't…know…"

He felt her starting to fade and prayed that medical help would arrive quickly.

* * *

Matt sat in the waiting room of the hospital 15 miles away from the ranch. A helicopter had picked her up from the stable and had allowed him to go with her. Later, Bo and Lamar had arrived along with Slade to sit and wait for word from the doctors treating C.J. The last they had talked to anyone had been an hour or so ago.

Roy had called and said that he would be joining him at the hospital as soon as he could having been sprung from his safe house along with Will after Marquis' arrest. In a short time, the feds and different police agencies had been able to apprehend the accomplices who had helped Marquis put his plan in action and several had already cracked under interrogation. The ringleader proved to be more stubborn in revealing information but Matt knew that even he wouldn't hold out for very long.

Matt heard Slade sit down beside him and offer him some soda. Matt took it absently and kept his focus on the double doors which led to the emergency examination area. The doctor had said they would be running tests on C.J. to determine the extent of her obvious head injury and then would take the necessary steps to treat it including surgery. Matt had blanched at those words and had felt fear fill him that had been even greater than what he had felt earlier that day. Marquis, he could handle but a serious injury was beyond his control.

"Just this morning, I said I had a surprise for her later on and she said she had something to tell me too, but that it could wait."

Slade looked at him.

"Matt, she's going to be just fine. She's survived a lot worse."

Matt sipped his soda.

"Yes she has," he said, "Because of what we do and no matter where she goes, it follows…"

"I don't think she views it that way Matt," Slade reasoned, "I think she loves the work she does with you."

Matt knew that and he knew the reason she had bought his ranch and had retreated a bit from L.A. for a while had nothing to do with him or their investigative work. There were other areas of her life she had needed to come to terms with and she had through her work bringing the ranch back to life had found her way.

And so had he.

Roy arrived and joined Matt and Slade in the waiting room while Bo and Lamar went back to handle the chores on the ranch. As Matt saw another hour slip by, he wondered what had been taking the doctors so long with C.J. How badly had she been hurt, and was she in surgery? Surely if that step had been taken, someone would have told them but there had been no word.

He had held many of these vigils in waiting rooms before including with C.J. and he had never been more terrified as he had been during those times. He never showed it to anyone because he felt he needed to appear strong to feel that which was lacking.

"She's going to be okay," Roy said.

Matt had heard that statement quite a few times that day but here he sat still waiting.

"How do you know Uncle Roy," he asked.

Roy pondered that for a moment.

"She's a strong woman," he said, "She's always supported you, not an easy task and she's had to love you from a distance for some time."

Matt's eyes narrowed.

"How do you know that?"

Roy sighed.

"That discussion we had before your wedding to Elizabeth provided a clue or two," he said, "and she's taken bullets for you."

"I love her too," Matt said, "The past month or so have been the best time in my life."

Roy smiled.

"Remember that and have a little faith," he said, "She's going to make it through this and then you two will have your lives to build together…"

Matt heard the double doors open finally and a young doctor came out calling for him. He raced on over there and the doctor smiled. Matt took that as a very good sign.

"How is she," Matt asked.

The doctor looked at a chart, flipping through it.

"Well, she's got a slight concussion but all the tests including CAT scans and MRIs and such were negative on bleeding, clots or serious injury…and she sprained her wrist but nothing broken there."

Matt smiled.

"That's good news doctor," he said, "so is she staying here or going home?"

The doctor paused.

"We want to keep her here at least overnight to monitor her concussion plus we had to run some additional tests…"

"What tests," Matt said.

"She's pregnant, not very far along but we wanted to make sure everything was okay."

Matt felt his legs weaken a moment at that stunning news but he recovered quickly enough.

"So is everything…okay?"

The doctor smiled.

"Everything's fine," he said, "The body cushions the pregnancy very well from many situations but she'll still need plenty of rest and good food and to see her physician regularly."

Matt digested the news.

"Thank you I'll make sure she does all that," he said, "Can I see her?"

The doctor made some notes in the chart.

"For a moment," he said, "She's resting comfortably but we'll be waking her up through the night to monitor her for any complications."

* * *

Matt told everyone there that C.J. would be fine but kept the news about the pregnancy to himself. He then followed the doctor into a hospital room where he saw C.J. lying there with her eyes closed. She looked peaceful so he sat there beside her and took one of her hands in his own, caressing it.

Her eyes opened to look at him.

"Hiya cowboy," she said.

He smiled.

"Hiya C.J, how you feeling?"

"Better now that you're here," she said, "Marquis…"

He rubbed her hand between his own.

"He's locked up and this time they're throwing away the key," he said, "The others including Jonathan have been rounded up already."

"So that means Roy and Will…"

"Roy's already here in the lobby," Matt said, "We were all worried about you."

She frowned.

"I'm sorry," she said, "He was going to shoot you and I just couldn't let that happen. I love you too much Houston."

He heard that in her voice.

"I love you too sweet heart."

She smiled at that and then looked up at him tentatively.

"The doctors told you didn't they," she said, "about the baby."

"Why yes they did and everything's going to be just fine," he said.

Tears threatened in her eyes then.

"I was going to tell you…that was the news I had."

"I figured as much," Matt said, "Don't you worry about a thing."

"I know we didn't plan this," she said, "I was using birth control…"

"Doesn't always work they say."

"I think it was that afternoon at the stable," she said, "when I put the moves on you."

He smiled at that.

"I'll never forget that even if I live to be an old man," he said, "You are really something Ms Parsons."

"So are you."

He sat on the bed, gently and he stroked her face.

"So how do you feel about being a mother?"

Her face softened then but grew serious.

"I want this baby more than I've wanted anything," she said, "I realized that when Marquis came after me. It's my child and I want to raise him or her."

"It's our child," he said, "and I want that too. Boy do I want that and I want that child's mother too. I can't wait to get you home."

She chuckled.

"They won't let me leave tonight but I'll make it worth your while when I do get sprung."

He knelt forward and kissed her softly on her lips. Wrapping his arm around her, he just knew everything was going to be all right.


	58. Chapter 58

Chapter 58-This one's winding down towards its final chapters...hope you enjoy this one, thanks for reading and the feedback...

* * *

C.J. sat wrapped up in her comforter and rolled her eyes at Matt who had just entered with a rather impressive spread of breakfast to bring to her in bed.

"Houston, that's really not necessary," she said, "I can get my own breakfast…when I feel up to it."

Alas, not long after returning home from her brief say in the hospital, she had been hit by morning sickness and so far, it lived up to its name. This morning, she had made it just in time to lose what had been left of last night's dinner. Matt had joined her in the bathroom and wordlessly handed her a damp wash cloth when she had finished and helped her on her feet again. She had been living on saltines and weak tea in the morning but by noon, her appetite usually returned with a rush.

He placed the tray in front of her as she sat cross-legged on the bed and checked out what he'd scrounged up in the kitchen. Scrambled eggs and plenty of toast with her favorite strawberry jelly and some orange juice. Nothing on her plate even remotely resembling bacon or any other meat which caused her stomach to turn at this stage and plenty of sliced apples which were her latest craving. She and Beulah competed each day for the best quality of fruit from the orchard with Bo making sure the most important female in his life getting her share while Matt did the same for her.

A truce had to be in order soon so that both human and porcine could share the spoils.

"Come here and sit with me," she said, patting the bed.

He looked at her, showing off his most dubious expression.

"I remember what happened last time I did that," he said, "We…hmmm…"

She smiled.

"It's okay Houston," she said, "I just want someone to share my breakfast with me and then I want to get dressed."

His eyes narrowed.

"Get dressed, where are you going?"

She blew the tendril of hair out of her face but kept smiling.

"I've got work to do before the party," she said, "You know the ranch warming that you invited half of L.A. too."

He settled for sitting on the edge of the bed.

"C.J. I think that's a bit of an exaggeration…"

"Not much of one," she said, "Not that I'm complaining but I've still got work to do, decorations to put up and what about the food for the visiting army?"

He put his hands up.

"That's all taken care of sweetheart," he said, "All you have to do is show up looking as beautiful as you do right now."

His words worked their magic and her face softened.

"Okay but…I'm still going to have to oversee the whole operation."

Matt knew he couldn't fight her on that so he just sat while she ate wearing an expression that attracted her attention away from the wondrous meal back to him soon enough.

"What's the matter," he asked.

She tilted her face.

"You're up to something…"

He looked innocent.

"What do you mean?"

She put her fork down for a moment.

"I know that look…now I love that look don't get me wrong Houston but I know it."

He smiled wider.

"What could I possibly be up to," he said, "I'm sitting here with you."

She rolled her eyes.

"Houston, if you are planning anything else for the party, you might as well just tell me."

His face changed and mischief flashed through those eyes now.

"Well actually this is something else…and it's a surprise for later on…"

Now that piqued her interest.

"Surprise what surprise?"

He didn't budge.

"You'll find out later on," he said, "Now start eating…"

* * *

C.J. did eat all of her breakfast and it did stay down, much to her relief. The morning sickness had her worried that her growing baby wouldn't be properly nourished to keep growing but her doctor had reassured her after giving them both a clean bill of health that this was a normal stage of pregnancy that would soon pass. Her appetite had been voracious at other times so she felt better and less guilty about eating extra servings at her other meals.

She had ditched the oatmeal, rediscovered her love for eggs and still had a yen for the chilies growing in her yard which Bo and Lamar dutifully picked daily to keep up with her appetite. But for the most part, she couldn't be happier than she was now. Marquis and Jonathan were both locked up in prison and Jonathan had folded like a house of cards during his interrogation and had given the investigators of different law enforcement agencies enough goods to put Marquis behind bars in the super maximum prison in Colorado for a long time. He would find slipping through the gates of that facility to be much more challenging. Still Matt and C.J. knew he would never stop plotting another round of vengeance against them but they had better thoughts to occupy their time.

Like the new baby coming. C.J. had decided which room in the ranch house would be perfect for the nursery and never willing to put off anything to the last moment, she had started planning it already. She had already cut back on her physical labor though her doctor said she could keep on riding for a while longer as long as she was very careful. Slade had handled most of the financial part of their work to help the ranchers as C.J. had prepared for the court appearance next month. Her ex had taken news of her pregnancy very well and had been graceful enough to congratulate the proud couple. She still heard the trace of wistfulness in Slade's voice for what might have been but he had been so busy with his new venture of ranching and breaking and training yearlings with some new hands that he didn't have much time for regrets.

Her vacation time would be ending soon as she had decided to commute with Matt via helicopter to the office three mornings a week just as they used to do. Murray had been greatly relieved to hear that news and during her most recent phone conversation, he had excitedly listed in a single breath all of the paperwork and case files that were awaiting attention on her desk at the penthouse suite. She finally had to beg off and hang up the phone because a certain someone had come up behind her, wrapped his arms around her and started doing pleasant things to that sensitive spot on the nape on the back of her neck.

She wondered if Murray knew the difference.

But anyway, she had been grappling with trying to find balance in her life between pursuing her career in the bustling metropolis that was L.A. and having a quiet place to retreat to at the end of the day. And she knew she had found it and the man who would share all that with her. After showering and changing, she had headed out to the barn and saw Bo and Lamar arguing about whether or not Beulah could be trained as a guardian pig. Matt had sent most of the security team back to the firm but kept a couple of them around for a while until they were absolutely sure the threat posed by Marquis had truly passed.

"I say she can be trained to do that," Bo insisted, "Look how well she handled that prowler."

Lamar put his hand on his hips.

"We don't even know there was someone," he said, "All we saw were shadows."

Bo snorted.

"That's just nonsense Lamar," he said, "Of course we know it was that guy Marquis or what's his name trying to cause some real trouble."

Lamar just shook his head and walked away. He brightened when he saw C.J. approach.

"Hi there C.J.," he said, smiling.

"How you feeling Lamar?"

He tossed a look at Bo.

"Bo's being silly again," he said, "but otherwise it's a beautiful day."

She smiled back at him.

"It is, isn't it," she said, "I think I'll do some gardening today."

He looked unsure.

"Are you going to be okay…?"

She gave him her look that he recognized well.

"Lamar, I'm pregnant, not sick," she said, "At least not most of the day."

He nodded.

"Okay then…oh wait I was told to give this to you…"

He handed her an envelope and her brow furrowed as she looked at it.

"Who gave this to you," she asked.

Lamar just shrugged his shoulders.

"I'm not supposed to tell you," he said, "Why don't you just read it?"

C.J. opened up the envelope and her eyes widened. The card inside stated that she was to show up at the stables later that afternoon…alone.

"Well Marquis and Jonathan are locked up now so it can't be them," she said, "I wonder…"

But she had just been playing with Lamar because she knew damn well who sent it and she hid that with a smile as she walked to the barn. Thinking that she had a surprise of her own.

* * *

Matt worked all day fixing some fencing in the far side of the pasture, counting the hours until he could set his plan in motion. He knew that Lamar had given her the invitation and that curiosity if nothing else would get her out to the stable. But he had something important to do and its success met everything to him. He tried to keep his mind off of it while he hammered nails into faded wood and carried planks back and forth under the hot sun. Next week he would be returning to the office but C.J. would be sharing the commute with him as she had decided to spend part of the week working in L.A. at least until she got her feet wet again.

But he would savor the time they had spent together this week always. He had quickly gotten used to the idea that some months from now he was going to be a father and felt that he had been waiting for that moment most of his life. His father had joked to him while still alive that he had better get moving on, get busy and give him a grandchild. A pang of sadness hit him when he thought about how his daddy had missed that opportunity to meet the next generation of Houston but he believed somewhere his father would be watching, both of them, alongside the mother he had never really known. While he and C.J. raised the child which would embolden parts of all of them.

Matt looked at his watch for the hundredth time thinking this day was passing too damn slowly.

* * *

C.J. had ridden up to the barn, trusting that her mare would look out for her as she always had and had seen Cayenne tied up there as well. Intrigued, she dismounted and tied up Chelsea near the filly and brushing her pants off, headed to the stable. She smiled as she noted the decorations that had been placed over the entrance and along the stalls which lined the passage to the rooms on the end. She entered the small room to see Matt standing there dressed up in his favorite pair of faded jeans and shirt and those damn chaps. She walked straight up to him and embraced him, kissing him on the mouth. His mouth tasted good on her own as it always did and when they broke for air, she stood back and folded her arms.

"Okay cowboy fess up."

He just looked at her.

"About what darling?"

"Why you invited me all the way out here to…"

He smiled slowly, his eyes lighting up.

"Our first love nest?"

Her face flushed at that and she bit her lip, watching him carefully.

"You know if it hadn't been for that…I might not be in this condition," she pointed out.

He shook his head.

"If it hadn't been here, it would have been one of the other dozen or so times…"

She chuckled at that.

"True…but why did you bring me here," she said, "For another trip down memory lane?"

He grew really serious for a moment and what she saw in his brown eyes, nearly brought tears to her own.

"Houston is everything okay…"

He nodded and reached for her hand. He then fumbled into his pocket for something as she watched him. She didn't see what he pulled out but the smile that lit up his face…priceless. But when he actually knelt down before her, chaps and all, then of course she knew.

She clasped her hands together, her heart swelling.

"Houston, is this what I think…"

"Shhh now and let me do this properly," he instructed.

She bit back a smile and when she saw what lie inside the box, the emotion that filled her overwhelmed everything else.

"C.J. I know it's taken me…a long time to figure things out and I've never enjoyed my life more than in the past few weeks…Never felt like this with anyone else and I can't move forward in my life without you…and him or her or any other babies to come in it…Will you…."

"Damn straight I will Houston…"

He broke into an even wider smile, laced with what C.J. believed to be immense joy laced with more than a bit of relief. But seriously, could he doubt that she would ever refuse him? Now he looked like he might cry and she reached her hand to brush his cheek. He then slipped that ring right on her finger and damn if he didn't draw that hand to his mouth and work some magic over it by brushing his lips over it. Then when she smiled back at him, he embraced her tightly and then the tears did come for both of them.

They toasted their engagement with some sparkling grape soda and as it buzzed pleasantly down her throat, she looked at him thoughtfully.

"Houston, I don't want a huge wedding or anything. I just want to celebrate it with our family and friends together."

He nodded.

"Okay so keep the guest list to less than a thousand…"

She rolled her eyes at him and then chuckled.

"That's the place to start…and finding a tailor who can keep making adjustments..."

"We'll do that," he said.

They kissed once they got that all settled, leaving most of the logistics of wedding planning for another day. She closed her eyes as she felt his lips claim her own and his hands begin fiddling with the buttons on her shirt.

"Shouldn't we be heading back," she asked.

He noticed it had been getting darker outside, as some clouds had began to roll in from the east.

"I think it's going to rain," he said, "No sense in riding in it when we have everything we need here…Some of this delicious grape soda, some food and over there…"

She gazed over at the cot that awaited them and then back at him as he started on the buttons again.

"I think I'd rather stay here for a little while…"

And so they did.


	59. Chapter 59

The final chapter...finally. Thanks very much for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it and thanks for the feedback, it's been really helpful...

* * *

C.J. walked amid the throngs of people who had come out to the ranch to celebrate its housewarming and made sure that her family and friends had plenty to eat and drink. Bo and Lamar had combined their best chili cooking skills with Matt's talent at the barbecue to make some truly tasty sirloin chili burgers. She had of course roasted the potatoes with garlic and rosemary and Lulu had prepared the salad utilizing vegetables that she and Dylan had harvested from the garden. Slade had gotten over his jealousy over not hooking back together with her to man the bar outside by the swimming pool and other guests like Chris, her twin sister Pam and Hoyt's wife had brought including several delicious desserts which waited in the kitchen for their unveiling.

Roy and Will had arrived from where they had been holed up during the period of Marquis' rampage and C.J. noticed that the familial bond between the father and son had only strengthened during their weeks spent together. Will had kissed her on the cheek and congratulated her on the baby, having received the news from Matt already who had just gone off and told everyone who would listen to him about it. The biggest surprise had been the arrival of Vince and his family who had flown in on Matt's Lear Jet along with of course, Mama as a surprise for C.J.

And it had been the most wonderful of surprises even when Mama had walked into the kitchen and had just taken over, but C.J. welcomed her presence having missed the woman so much. And of course, Mama had brought some of her trademark pizza for them to enjoy.

"You need to eat much more now," she fussed, "You're eating for two…does Matt keep you well fed?"

C.J. smiled at the woman's maternal side showing.

"Yes he does Mama," she said, "He takes really good care of me."

"He should," she said, "Hopefully he's more attentive than my son who refuses to even consider giving me another grandchild. Says he's too tired…It's because he eats like a bird."

C.J. chuckled, thinking it to be just like old times.

"I've never been happier," she said, "I really love him."

Mama's face softened and she patted C.J.'s cheek.

"Of course you do," she said, "I've always known that. I was just wondering when the two of you would have enough sense between you to figure that out."

C.J. smiled, yes they finally did and to think it had been helped along by her impulsive decision to purchase his ranch.

"And they've put the bad men away in jail?"

C.J. nodded. Oh yes, Marquis was back cooling his heels again this time in much more secure surroundings as was Jonathan.

Chris joined them in the kitchen and went to help C.J. get the final touches on the potatoes.

"The men are almost done with the barbecue," she said, "Matt's been keeping them in line."

"I'll bet," C.J. said, "I'd better check on them."

* * *

Everyone seemed like they were having a great time at the party and before mingling, C.J. had brought out a freshly baked apple pie for Bo to give to Beulah who at least this time appeared to be securely locked up in the barn. This would be a great peace offering for the porcine forced to miss out on the festivities. She walked out to where Matt had been with Vince, Hoyt and Will preparing a stack of burgers to place on the neatly decorated tables.

"They look great," she said.

Matt walked over and kissed her before brushing her hair off of her face.

"So do you," he said, "How you feeling?"

She rolled her eyes at him.

"As good as I did the last time you asked," she said, "Really I'm fine."

The other men chuckled.

"It's always like this with the first one," Vince said, "You live and learn in time for the rest of them."

C.J. raised a brow at the ex-cop who looked more relaxed than she had ever seen him.

"Mama says you're holding out on her…"

Vince sipped his beer.

"I told her…my wife and I would think about it," he said, "but we've got our hands filled just with the four boys."

That had grown like weeds since C.J. had last seen them. No doubt, so have their appetites. They could put away so much food, something which made their grandmother very happy. She watched them play with Hoyt's daughter and with a little boy whose mother had come to the party as Will's girlfriend. C.J. noticed that the two of them looked very happy together. Matt's cousin deserved the best that life had to offer because he'd experienced so much of its worst.

The food proved to be delicious and everyone returned to the table for seconds including Vince's four sons who had gone off with Bo and Lamar to tour the barn even stopping to visit Beulah who had made short work of her pie. Matt had made sure that C.J. had plenty to eat and that she actually sat down and ate her meal rather than run around making sure everyone else had enough to eat. With Mama at the party, there could only be one captain anyway and Matt had been grateful to her when she had arrived and just taken command of that ship right away. C.J. hadn't minded in the least and she looked happy now talking with Chris and Pam who had left Houston Enterprises to go backpacking in Europe where she had met a man who owned a winery on the Italian coast and fallen in love. She showed off her wedding ring and everyone thought it beautiful.

"Where's Roberto now," Ruth Ann asked.

"He's in Paris on business," Pam said, "We're going to meet back up in Rome for a quick vacation before we start organizing for the new season."

Chris had been happy for her sister when she had found true love, though she herself still looked in between balancing different work assignments for Murray who was now regaling Will with tales of life at the office. Will seemed to be indulging him for the moment despite being double teamed by Myron who had flown in from Houston to attend the party.

C.J. sat enjoying her meal thoroughly, having developed quite a healthy appetite and as she cast a glance at Matt talking with the men folk, other things. She saw an older woman with a cowboy hat bring her dish on over and smiled warmly at the woman who had delivered Matt as a baby and saved her life. This of course made it possible for him to hook up with her and start off on the next generation of the Houston family tree. Not for the first time, she wished that Bill had lived long enough to meet the grandchild he so desperately wanted. She liked to believe that he was watching from someplace else along with her own parents and Matt's mother.

And Wade of course.

Cattle Annie walked right up to her and sat beside her.

"So who's going to deliver this baby of yours and Mattocks'," she said, "Got a doctor lined up."

C.J. thought this woman never missed a step.

"I do here," she said, "Some women here recommended her to me. She's supposed to be very good."

Annie smiled.

"Then you're in good hands," she said, "Of course I'm going to be checking up regularly on you and Matlock and the little one to make sure everything's fine."

C.J. nodded.

"I'd like that," she said, "I know Houston will."

Annie shook his head.

"He didn't waste any time did he," he said, "Once he figured out what he should have known all along. But Houston men are much quicker on the draw in the business world than their personal lives."

Yeah, C.J. thought, maybe that was true. Matt's own complicated history being what it had turned out to be but at least they had both found their way home together.

* * *

The party played out for some hours well into the night before everyone started saying goodbye, rounding up their flocks and setting off. Mama and Vince's family would be off to Disneyland and other tourist sites but would be returning to spend a week on their ranch. C.J. looked forward to that and would have the guest house ready for them. Chris and Pam along with Bo and Lamar had done most of the cleaning up because Matt had insisted on C.J. relaxing along with him. He had taken her hand and had brought her down to the veranda just off of the house where he had made sure she had a comfortable seat on the chaise there.

"Houston, I'm not sick…I'm pregnant."

"I know that but the doctor said…"

"He said to keep living my life except for a few minor adjustments," she said, "That means some time spent at the office next week so we can spend more time here when Vince and his family come here."

Matt nodded.

"It will be nice to spend more time with them," he said, "It's been a long time."

C.J. wrapped her arms around him and pulled him closer to her, resting her head against him.

"They seem so happy," she said, "I've never seen Vince so relaxed."

Matt had noticed that too and figured that a retirement spent in a nice piece of paradise and a new business venture suited his friend.

"I'd like to keep in closer touch with them."

"Me too," she said, "That's why we're going to spend some time with them next month."

"C.J. will it be safe…"

She blew a tendril of hair out of her face, suddenly facing him.

"Houston, I'm perfectly fine and you're going to have to settle down if you're going to make it the whole nine yards…"

"C.J. that's football darling," he said, "I believe you mean almost nine months give or take the time that's passed since we…found shelter in the stable."

She smiled.

"Okay, but really I'm perfectly fine," she said, "In fact I feel great…once the mornings pass."

He sighed.

"Okay I'll accept that…as long as you let me help you," he said, "Make it easier on you."

She smiled at the concern in his voice.

"You can do that in other ways cowboy," she said, "I'm pretty easy to please."

He stroked her face.

"I think I'm up for that," he said, adjusting his position to cradle her body against his better.

"Houston…"

"What did I just tell you," he said.

"No I just have a present for you and I forgot to give it," she said.

He caressed her abdomen.

"Oh I don't think so."

"No…something else," she said, moving around as if looking for something.

"Okay I'm game…"

She suppressed a chuckle at the expression on his face. Finally she searched her pocket and found it, unfolding it.

"This isn't it," she said, "This is just the reminder to tell you…"

"Tell me what, because now my curiosity's been aroused."

C.J. knew that hadn't been the only part of him but anyway, first things first and she had news to tell him. Something really important …

"It's about the ranch…"

He stroked her skin beneath her shirt.

"What about it?"

She sighed.

"I went and did something."

"Did what?"

She paused for a moment and he positioned himself to read her face, not that it told him much…except that she appreciated his touch.

"I had the deed changed," she said, slowly, "I had a name added."

A sense of wonder hit him and his brows rose.

"You mean…"

"Yeah I changed it so that it's not my ranch anymore," she said, "It's our ranch…we both own it."

"But C.J., it's really not necessary…"

She looked at him and he detected something in her hazel eyes.

"This is what I want," she said, "I never met to take your ranch away from you Houston…"

"You didn't take anything," he said, "I sold it and you bought it and I'm so damn glad you did because I had forgotten how much it meant to me and how much its owner does."

Her face grew warmer.

"I have a confession to make too," she said, "I bought it to bring you to your senses about who you are and what you really wanted."

"What do you mean?"

"Remember that night we spent playing poker at that club on Sunset," she said, "You know the one where we both infiltrated the illegal gambling ring."

His eyes lit up.

"Ah yes, that was the plan but then this woman at the table, she kissed me and took me right out of my game," he recalled, "She looked a lot like you and I wanted to do much more than kiss her."

She rolled her eyes.

"Houston we just kissed because they would have taken us out and killed us if we hadn't."

"Oh I'd have done it anyway," he said, "Who could let an opportunity like that go by? It's just a shame we weren't in more...romantic surroundings."

She took a deep breath as he started touching her skin again, beneath her shirt. Her skin tingled beneath his touch and she closed her eyes. But then she remembered she still had more to say before they got down to business.

"But you get what I'm saying don't you," she said, "Ever since then, I knew exactly what I wanted and who, I just had to figure out a way to let you know…away from the chaos of our lives in L.A."

He nodded.

"Well, I didn't come out here just to protect you from Marquis," he said, "I had my other reasons because I was there in that club too."

She drew him closer to kiss him, even as his fingers continued to work their magic.

"Well I guess we both got what we wanted in the end," she said.

He closed his eyes as he felt her hands working the buttons on his shirt.

"Indeed," he said, "Only we've got a whole future ahead of us and I can't wait to see how it turns out."

They both got off the couch and after he swooped her off of her feet into his arms, they headed on inside to start living that future.


End file.
